The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure

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The Legend of Heroes:Trails to Azure
Trails to Azure Steam artwork.jpg
Developer(s) Nihon Falcom
Publisher(s) NIS America
  • JP: Nihon Falcom
Director(s) Toshihiro Kondo
Producer(s) Masayuki Kato
Programmer(s)
  • Toru Endo
  • Aichiro Miyata
  • Katsuya Horimoto
Artist(s) Katsumi Enami
Writer(s)
  • Hisayoshi Takeiri
  • Nobuhiro Hioki
  • Yoshihiro Konda
Composer(s)
  • Hayato Sonoda
  • Takahiro Unisuga
  • Saki Momiyama
  • Masanori Osaki
Series Trails
Platform(s)
Release
September 29, 2011
  • PlayStation Portable
    • JP: September 29, 2011
  • Windows
    • CHN: March 28, 2013
    • NA: March 14, 2023
    • EU: March 17, 2023
    • AU: March 24, 2023
  • PlayStation Vita
    • JP: June 12, 2014
  • PlayStation 4
    • JP: May 28, 2020
    • NA: March 14, 2023
    • EU: March 17, 2023
    • AU: March 24, 2023
  • Nintendo Switch
    • AS: April 22, 2021
    • NA: March 14, 2023
    • EU: March 17, 2023
    • AU: March 24, 2023
    • JP: August 31, 2023
Genre(s) Role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure, known as Ao no Kiseki [lower-alpha 1] in Japan, is a 2011 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. Trails to Azure serves as a sequel to Trails from Zero (2010), forming the second and final part of the series' "Crossbell arc".

Contents

Trails to Azure released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable in 2011 with no release outside of Asia until 2023, when it was published by NIS America for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. The English release was based upon the work of a fan translation.

Plot

Trails to Azure is set a few months after the ending of Trails from Zero. The Special Support Section (SSS) are joined by new recruits – the Army sergeant major Noel Seeker and the former gang leader Wazy Hemisphere.

Again, unscrupulous figures seek to use KeA as the sept-terrion of mirage, now adopted by the SSS and taking the surname of Bannings, for their own ends. They are led by the mayor, Dieter Crois, who declares Crossbell's independence and seeks to ensure it through the powers of KeA, and his daughter Mariabell, who seeks to use KeA to rewrite history. The SSS have to brave civil unrest and occult intrusions to foil their plans. Both Dieter and Mariabell Crois are defeated, the former is arrested and the latter joins Ouroboros and KeA relinquishes her powers, but all of these events lead to Crossbell's annexation by the Erebonian Empire, which leads into events seen in the second half of the Trails of Cold Steel arc.

Release

Ao no Kiseki was released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable on September 29, 2011. [1] It was later ported to Windows for release in China on March 28, 2013. [2] It was also released for the PlayStation Vita in Japan on June 12, 2014, as Ao no Kiseki: Evolution. This version features improved visuals and more voice acting. [3] [4] The Evolution version received a remaster for the PlayStation 4, releasing in Japan under the title Ao no Kiseki Kai on May 28, 2020. [5] It was also released for the Nintendo Switch in China and South Korea by Clouded Leopard Entertainment on April 22, 2021. [6]

Trails to Azure and its prequel, Trails from Zero , were not localized in English by the time of the Japanese release of Trails of Cold Steel in 2013. Falcom subsequently approached Xseed Games, who had previously localized Trails in the Sky , and requested that a localization of Trails of Cold Steel be prioritized instead, resulting in Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure being skipped. [7] An English fan translation was released in 2018, [8] with another one by a team known as the "Geofront" released in May 2021. Geofront's release would serve as the foundation for an official English version by NIS America for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Windows, released in March 2023 in North America, Europe and Australasia. [9] [10] That version was also released in Japan for the Switch by Falcom on August 31, 2023. [11]

Reception

Trails to Azure received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [12] [13] [14]

The game was listed as one of the best upcoming games of 2011 at that year's Tokyo Game Show. [20] Along with Trails from Zero, Comic Book Resources highlighted the game's "persistent overarching storyline, immersive and detailed settings, masterful character development [and] unique battle system". They noted that despite the lack of an official localization at the time, the plot and characters were integral to understanding later games in the series. [1]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: 英雄伝説碧の軌跡, Hepburn: The Legend of Heroes: Ao no Kiseki

Related Research Articles

Xseed Games is an American video game company founded by former members of Square Enix USA. It later became a subsidiary of the Japanese game company Marvelous, providing the localization and publishing services for video games and related materials.

The Legend of Heroes, known in Japan as Eiyū Densetsu, is a series of role-playing video games developed by Nihon Falcom. First starting as a part of the Dragon Slayer series in the late 1980s, the series evolved into its own decade-spanning, interconnected series with seventeen entries, including several subseries. All games in the franchise released since 2004 are part of the Trails subseries, known as Kiseki in Japan. The most recent entry, The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki, was released in 2024.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky</i> 2004 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is a 2004 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is the first in what later became known as the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero</i> 2010 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero, known as Zero no Kiseki in Japan, is a 2010 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. It takes place in Crossbell, a city-state located between two great powers fighting for control over it, and follows Lloyd Bannings and his colleagues Elie MacDowell, Randy Orlando, and Tio Plato. The four form the Special Support Section, a newly formed department of the Crossbell police. The game and its 2011 sequel, Trails to Azure, form the Crossbell arc of the series.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel</i> 2013 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a 2013 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. It was initially released in Japan for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita before being localized in English by Xseed Games in 2015.

<i>The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails</i> 2012 video game

The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails, known as Nayuta no Kiseki in Japan, is a 2012 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. It was first released in Japan for PlayStation Portable. A high-definition remaster was released in Japan for PlayStation 4 and Windows in 2021 and for Nintendo Switch in 2022. This version was localized in English by NIS America and released in September 2023.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC</i> 2006 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC is a 2006 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series, and serves as a direct sequel to The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky. It was first released in Japan for Windows in 2006 before releasing for the PlayStation Portable the following year.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd</i> 2007 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd is a 2007 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series, and serves as the final entry in the Trails in the Sky arc.

<i>Trails</i> (series) Video game franchise

Trails, known as Kiseki (軌跡) in Japan, is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Nihon Falcom. It is a part of their larger The Legend of Heroes franchise and began with the release of Trails in the Sky in 2004. Trails features a large cast of characters and consists of interconnected story arcs set in different nations on the continent of Zemuria: Liberl, Crossbell, Erebonia, and Calvard. The series primarily features turn-based combat, with a few spin-offs and more recent entries featuring other styles of gameplay.

<i>Tokyo Xanadu</i> 2015 video game

Tokyo Xanadu is a 2015 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game was developed out of Nihon Falcom's desire to create a game of a different type and setting than their other role-playing game franchises, The Legend of Heroes and Ys. The game was first released in Japan for the PlayStation Vita in September 2015, and worldwide in June 2017.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails at Sunrise</i> 2016 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails at Sunrise, known in Japanese as Akatsuki no Kiseki, is a 2016 role-playing gacha game developed by UserJoy Technology and published by Nihon Falcom. It is a spin-off of the Trails series, itself a part of The Legend of Heroes franchise, and was first released in Japan for browsers. Trails at Sunrise was later ported to Windows, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation and Switch versions of the game were discontinued in 2022.

<i>Ys vs. Trails in the Sky</i> 2010 video game

Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga is a 2010 crossover fighting game by Nihon Falcom. Similar to the concept of Super Smash Bros. and Dissidia Final Fantasy, the game involves players choosing a character and participating in up to four-player fights against other characters sourced from Falcom's Ys and Trails role-playing game series. It was released only in Japan for the PlayStation Portable on July 29.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II</i> 2014 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is a 2014 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series, and serves as a sequel to The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III</i> 2017 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III is a 2017 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series, and serves as a direct sequel to The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II.

<i>Ys IX: Monstrum Nox</i> 2019 video game

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a 2019 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. A part of the Ys series, it was released for the PlayStation 4 in Japan in September 2019 and worldwide by NIS America in February 2021. The game received additional releases for Windows, Nintendo Switch and Stadia in July 2021, and PlayStation 5 in May 2023. Ys IX received generally positive reviews from critics.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV</i> 2018 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is a 2018 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series, and is the sequel to Trails of Cold Steel III and the final entry of the Trails of Cold Steel arc.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak</i> 2021 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is a 2021 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes franchise, and is the first game in the Trails Through Daybreak story arc. It marks the second half of the Trails series and is the first to be set in the Calvard Republic. The game follows Van Arkride, a young man working at Arkride Solutions Office as a Spriggan, a bounty hunting detective.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie</i> 2020 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie is a 2020 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. It was released in Japan for the PlayStation 4 in August 2020, with ports released for the Nintendo Switch and Windows in August 2021. An English version was released in July 2023, additionally being ported to PlayStation 5. Trails into Reverie is considered the end of the series' Crossbell and Erebonia arcs and serves as the precursor to The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak.

References

  1. 1 2 Rawda, Odel (May 6, 2020). "Why Falcom's Trails from Zero & Trails to Azure Deserve a Western Release". CBR. Archived from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Chinese Ao no Kiseki PC Release Dated for 3/28". November 12, 2012. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Legend of Heroes Ao no Kiseki Evolution's Teaser Video Posted". June 21, 2023. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  4. ↑ "A Peek At The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Blue Evolution's Anime Opening". March 27, 2014. Archived from the original on July 22, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  5. ↑ Romano, Sal (January 31, 2020). "The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki and Ao no Kiseki for PS4 launch April 23 and May 28 in Japan". Gematsu. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  6. ↑ Romano, Sal (October 29, 2020). "The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki and Ao no Kiseki coming to Switch on February 18, 2021 and April 22 in Asia". Gematsu. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  7. ↑ Avery, Brittany (June 5, 2015). "The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel - Localization Blog #1". XSEED Games Official Website. Archived from the original on March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  8. ↑ Arshad Khan, Danial (July 7, 2018). "The Legend of Heroes: Trails To Azure (Ao no Kiseki) fan translation patch released". GearNuke. Archived from the original on July 22, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  9. ↑ "The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero coming west in fall 2022 for PS4, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. June 25, 2021. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  10. ↑ Romano, Sal (October 17, 2022). "The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure launches March 14, 2023 in North America, March 17 in Europe". Gematsu. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  11. ↑ Romano, Sal. "The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero and The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure for Switch coming to Japan on August 31". Gematsu. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  13. 1 2 "The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure for Playstation 4 Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  14. 1 2 "The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure for Switch Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  15. ↑ Andriessen, CJ (March 18, 2023). "Review: The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure". Destructoid . Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  16. ↑ Stockdale, Henry (March 7, 2023). "The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure review - Nihon Falcom serves up another fine RPG". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  17. ↑ Helm, Jordan (March 8, 2023). "Review: The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  18. ↑ Ramsey, Robert (March 7, 2023). "Trails to Azure Review (PS4)". Push Square . Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  19. ↑ Privitere, Anna Marie (March 12, 2023). "The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure Review". RPGamer. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  20. ↑ Toto, Serkan (September 19, 2011). "Japan Game Awards 2011 At The Tokyo Game Show: Here Are The 10 Winners". Tech Crunch . Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
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