Of all the JRPG series out there, it’s undoubtedly the Trails series that’s the hardest to get into. With multiple different sub-series that all cross over, it’s basically the MCU of video games and alongside that they all run for close to hundreds of hours. I can’t pretend it’s a nut I’ve quite managed to crack, but there’s a duology of games in the series I absolutely love. The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero and The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Azure are two former PSP games that form their own mini arc in the series, and if you’re looking for a way to spend dozens and dozens of hours on the Switch 2 then they’re some of the very best options.
The story of Trails from Zero follows Lloyd Bannings, a rookie detective who has been assigned to the police force in Crossbell. This city is one of constant turmoil, sitting on the border of warring nations with a corrupt mafia influence. It’s a place that really needs some law enforcement, and Lloyd has been brought on to lead the Special Support Squad (or SSS for short). The SSS are specifically tasked with helping citizens with anything they need, resulting in them starting out as odd job people more than officers. As you might expect though they eventually build up to being rather important to this tumultuous town, when everything goes downhill.
Without getting deeper into spoilers it’s a little harder to talk about the story of Trails into Azure. It’s a direct sequel to Trails from Zero, and you still play as Lloyd. Most of your same beloved team has moved on though, and as more outer threats to Crossbell emerge the drama only gets more intense. It follows on so perfectly from the setup of the first game, and absolutely sticks the landing. Both the games are self-contained enough that they’re welcoming to outsiders too, and might help you get into The Legend of Heroes as a whole.
So much of these games is spent trying to improve the reputation of the SSS, by completing requests for the citizens. Often these will involve typical JRPG things like killing monsters or collecting ingredients from the areas outside of town. Some are a little more unusual though, like when you’re assigned to take photos for the local newspaper. You often don’t really feel like you’re playing as a police officer, but since the force isn’t trusted in town it’s the best way to win over the masses.
A lot of the time the jobs you’re assigned to involve some sort of combat, and you’ll get to experience one of the best aspects of this Trails duology. Battles take place on a grid, with each of your characters able to use various Arts and Crafts to take down foes. This is just Trails language for attacks though, so don’t expect any decoupage or needle felting mid fight.
The combat initially looks like it’ll be a sort of Tactics affair because of the grid, but in practice it’s more like the mid-fight movement of something like Chrono Trigger (which is a hell of a compliment). The special attacks really make it special too, with two different points you’ll use to access them and the potential to really make your party all feel different. There’s also such a lack of grind throughout to ensure combat always feels fresh, because weaker encounters often last seconds thanks to team attacks.
Outside of battle, one of my favourite systems to tinker around with in Trails from Zero and Trails into Azure is the Quartz system. Quartz are the gems that give you access to spells, while also buffing stats. Different combinations of coloured Quartz grant you different spells, and experimenting is the only way to uncover new ones. For example you could get by using water quartz to do single target healing, but mixing in some wind will grant you area of effect heals. This is just the tip of the iceberg though, so across both games you’ll need to become a gem master.
When these games were first remastered a few years ago, one of the things I appreciated most was the ability to speed everything up to rush to your next destination or through a rare slog of a battle. The visuals are a less enhanced part of the game though, and while I think the environments are appealing in a retro sort of way that can’t really be said for character models.
I could (and have previously) wax lyrical about everything fantastic in these two massive games, but anyone and everyone into JRPGs is aware of that at this point. The Switch 2 versions of the games are just as essential too, running as smoothly and wonderfully as you’d expect. It’s wonderful to have the best versions of these games on my favourite console for handheld RPG sessions.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero and The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Azure are two of the greatest JRPGs I’ve ever played, and they’re a wonderful way to jump into this beloved series without prior knowledge. Their Switch 2 versions are pretty much perfect too, and provide hours and hours of RPG magic for those with enough time to spend with them.
