This game was a great continuation to the series. It felt very odd at the start with all the updates from the previous two games. I had been binge playing the series one after the other. If you've played the other 2 Cold Steel games you'll know what you are getting, another great game. However, it does have a few flaws that I will make note of, but it shouldn't deter you from getting the game. There are several parts in the game, mostly in the later half where the frame rate of the game drops often, the game is still playable but it is VERY noticeable. This happens in some towns and well as dungeons. I've read it's because the game was not optimized well. It looks good graphically and at times of lag there is a lot on the screen. You WILL notice this in your gameplay. I have played on the original PS4 system, but have read it is same on the pro version of the game as well. All that aside the game is still great. You dont get as many new skills when you level up in this game either however, so what you get towards the start of the game in terms of crafts stays for pretty much all of the game except maybe 1 or 2 more.

I’ll preface this review with saying you don’t “technically” have to play Trails of Cold Steel 1&2 to enjoy 3. That being said you will greatly benefit from having played Trails of Cold Steel 1&2 along with the Japanese games Zero and Ao since they help to bridge the gap between Cold Steel 2&3. There are references to the other games being made all the time new players will inevitably miss out on. It’s the difference between watching a Theatrical version of a movie vs a really good Director’s Cut that fleshes the story out a bit more giving needed context. Trails 3 continues the story of Rean Schwarzer and if you’re new to the series there will be a lot to love if you’re a fan of JRPG’s. The music, the turn based combat, the voice acting etc are all well done. The graphics have been given a decent upgrade since Cold Steel 1 & 2 and it shows. There are a few errors with the text in the translation but more often than not it’s correct. If you enjoy JRPG’s then you shouldn’t sleep on this series by any means. My hope is that one day Falcom will release all of the Trails games so we can enjoy them on the current gen consoles.

Great strategic turn based combat with an amazing narrative. The characters are all interesting and the world feels alive. Characters feel like they live in the world and is a part of it rather than the stars of the world. This is a continuation of the other legend of hero series games and a direct sequel to the first and second trials of cold steel games. I recommend playing through the first 2 games before playing this one.

I love this series. You absolutely should play the rest first but Nihon Falcom did a good job with expanding the world in this installment. I felt a much stronger connection to the original Class VII but, since you find out how their lives have progressed since graduating from Thors throughout this game, it felt like catching up with old friends. The graphics won't blow you away as the textures can be pretty flat but it gives the world a really clean looking aesthetic. The character models all look amazing and, for the most part, the voice acting is award-worthy. My favorite all-around character, Sara, is a great example of both. Meanwhile Alisa, who is one of the most powerful characters in the game, started to sound more spoiled and whiny as the series progressed. This is a turn-based RPG series and each game in the series has over 60 hours of playtime and they all follow a very similar formula and can get repetitive. What keeps you going in spite of that is the growing relationships between all of the main characters and how you continue to learn more and more about their pasts and struggles. It feels more akin to an interactive anime than a traditional RPG but the format makes it more engrossing than the visual novels that are usually more synonymous with that description. I can't recommend this series enough.

Great series of games they take some time to finish but the story, characters, and music are absolutely amazing.