The Best Trails Games, All 12 Ranked

The Legend of Heroes is one of the longest-running JRPG franchises out there, but it really found its groove with the Trails series. The Trails games are known for their insane world-building and fleshed-out characters. Even events that happened in the very first game can still have consequences in even the most recent titles. NPCs are treated almost as if they are alive, and there are plenty of them to interact with and hear more about the continent of Zemura.

It wasn’t easy, but we have ranked all 12 Trails games. This list doesn’t include the spin-offs or the most recent Japanese release. However, once it is localized, we will certainly adjust our rankings.

12. Trails in the Sky 3rd

• Release Date: 2007 in Japan and 2017 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC (available through Steam and works perfectly on the Steam Deck)

Sky the 3rd takes place in an alternate dimension known as Phantasma, and the game follows Kevin Graham instead of the Bright siblings. Other characters are brought into Phantasma until the game is one big reunion of the whole cast. The group must figure out what forces have brought them to Phantasma and what it might mean that it can pluck them from anywhere in the world.

I just want to say it’s not that the third Sky game is bad, but it doesn’t do all that much to advance the greater story. Sky the 3rd is appreciated for starting the trend of arc-ending games gathering the full cast, which Cold Steel IV and Reverie did on a greater level. However, this version made it feel more like a bottle episode of a great TV show.

While it does foreshadow future events in a fun way, the game itself isn’t anything special. Too much of the story is dedicated to Kevin’s backstory, and then he isn’t a major part of any story until the 13th game in the series, which hasn’t even been localized yet.

11. Trails in the Sky SC

• Release Date: 2006 in Japan and 2015 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC (available through Steam and works perfectly on the Steam Deck)

While Sky 3rd is definitely the worst game in the series, things are now getting difficult. I think I have to put SC at the second lowest spot. The story follows Estelle right after the cliffhanger ending in FC. She’s alone now, but she’s determined to figure out where Joshua has gone. She’s stronger after their travels and capable of handling herself without Joshua’s aid.

Sky SC is Estelle’s game, which I think is the right choice for the second game in the series. One of the most important parts of SC is the full reveal of Joshua’s origin, and those events still have massive ripples even later in the series. It might be one of this game’s most consequential aspects, outside of Ouroboros’ further reveal.

It’s not that I dislike Sky SC, either. It’s a fine second game, but I think the following games in the series do everything better. If nothing else, this game helped cement how nice it was when Estelle and Joshua showed up in Trails from Zero.

10. Trails to Azure

• Release Date: 2011 in Japan and 2023 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC, PS4, Switch
• Our Trails to Azure Review

After the events of Trails from Zero, the Special Support Section (SSS) has splintered, but are doing their best to rebuild Crossbell. Everyone has their role to play based on what they do best, which leads Lloyd to chase mysteries and figure out where things might be headed. Family from Randy’s Jaeger days also come into town to stir up trouble, and he must reconcile his past with his new good guy ways.

I consider Zero to be all about set-ups and questions, whereas Trails to Azure is a game of answers and closure. While the previous game ended with KeA as still something of a mystery, her true purpose and origin are laid out in a really interesting way, along with a connection from the first game that feels like one of the best twists of the series.

Even still, I don’t think Azure is the better game. You get more information about beloved characters, but I think more of what Zero does to set up Crossbell is terrific. This is especially true if you’re like me and play the Crossbell arc for the first time much later after already beating the Erebonia arc.

9. Trails from Zero

• Release Date: 2010 in Japan and 2022 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC, PS4, Switch
• Our Trails from Zero Review

After being away, Lloyd Bannings returns to the province of Crossbell to take a position with the police department as head of a new unit. His squadmates are the ex-Jaeger Randy Orlando, the mayor’s granddaughter Elie MacDowell, and technological wiz Tio Plato.

Like the mixture of Class VII, this group of officers is exactly what Crossbell needs to show its independence, as it had been too reliant on the Bracer (halfway between a mercenary and a cop) guild. Lloyd is essentially just the prototype to Rean, but that doesn’t stop him from being the heart and soul of the Crossbell arc. These are some of the best characters in Trails, and after first meeting Randy in Cold Steel 3, it was fun to see where it all started.

Zero also introduces the series to the concept of the DG cult. A bunch of fanatics that would kidnap children from all over Zemuria for horrible experiments. This link carries into many of the subsequent games, where the cult has tortured several important characters. Zero has some of the greatest world-building for this bit alone and establishes connections that are still showing up in new releases.

8. Trails of Cold Steel IV

• Release Date: 2018 in Japan and 2020 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5 Switch

Cold Steel 4 picks up right after the Cold Steel 3 ending, and in many ways mirrors Cold Steel 2, but with Juna as the protagonist. Rean is gone after the events that closed out the third game, with his students in the dark about where he’s been taken. The lack of his leadership has things a little topsy turvy, but Juna leans on the help of new and old Class VII members to track him down.

Though Reverie does undercut some of the amazement of the game, it is still the first time that just about every Trails character is gathered for one big finale event. The main focus of Cold Steel 4 is in The Proving, a series of battles between Divine Knights. Everything has built up to find out who the other Awakeners are, with plenty of surprises.

I think the biggest highlight of Cold Steel 4’s story is that it shows off the strength it takes to say goodbye. For the most part, characters in Trails games don’t die. Cold Steel 4 throws this out the window and some losses had me tearing up. It’s one of the best stories in the series and an excellent wrap-up to the longest arc.

7. Trails Through Daybreak II

• Release Date: 2022 in Japan and 2025 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Switch

Picking up only a few months after Van bid his temporary employees goodbye, a new threat has appeared in Edith. Elaine arrives to enlist Van’s help in figuring out what might be going on with a new red Grendel that has shown up in several places and left bodies in its wake. The game even opens with the whole Hercules squad being wiped out.

One of my favorite parts of this game is that it expands on the Field Battles/action RPG combat of the first game. While it was rudimentary before, it now allows for better party participation when you make a particularly well-timed dodge. It also brought in Quick Arts, which lets you spend a little EP to do extra damage. I expect these mechanics to improve further with future releases.

Daybreak 2 also has the best fishing minigame of the series. It’s no longer an awful button-mashing minigame from the Cold Steel titles. Instead, it’s all about timing and catching a needle as it runs around a circle. For the first time in the series, I was excited to fish.

6. Trails into Reverie

• Release Date: 2020 in Japan and 2023 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Switch

Several months after the events of Cold Steel 4, Crossbell is finally set to declare its independence. This will finally put a stop to Crossbell being used as a pawn by Erebonia and Calvard. However, on the day of the ceremony, an old enemy shows up who should be locked up in prison. Through trickery, the citizens are amped up and begin to cheer for the intruder, who declares himself leader and threatens war with the rest of Zemuria.

For the first time in the series, the story is split between three protagonists (Rean, Lloyd, and the mysterious C) with concurrent storylines. Daybreak 2 does this to a slightly lesser degree but doesn’t allow for swapping between them whenever you want (for the most part). The Crossbell setting does also mean characters that hadn’t been seen for a while get to pop back up.

The best part of this game is also the Reverie Corridor, which is just a series of dungeons full of chests and enemies. This is the perfect way to gain items that give XP as well as stat increases. I owe being able to beat the game on Nightmare difficulty completely to being able to over-level characters across the board and farm chests in the dungeons.

5. Trails in the Sky FC

• Release Date: 2004 in Japan and 2011 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC (available through Steam and works perfectly on the Steam Deck)

The series starts with the unassuming life of a father with his two kids. Except the father does happen to be Cassius Bright, a military genius and the highest-ranked Bracer. After he has to leave the kids on a trip, they get the idea to travel to their home country of Liberl to earn their stripes as Bracers and make Cassius proud. There’s Estelle, the hothead, and Joshua, her tough and reserved brother. Sherazard Harvey, Cassius’ student, also travels with them.

Sky FC is where the games get everything from the turn-based aspect, the use/names of arts, to the existence of ability/stat granting Quartz. There isn’t a single part of Sky FC that doesn’t have some legacy or direct translation aspect in the new games. Everything that makes my favorite entries great is owed to the very first game in the series.

The only reason I cannot rank this higher is purely due to how dated it feels, as it’s lacking some of the better improvements of the next four games. However, with the remake on the way, I can’t wait to see how the story holds up with all the modern bells and whistles.

4. Trails of Cold Steel III

• Release Date: 2017 in Japan and 2019 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5 Switch
• Our Trails of Cold Steel III Review

It’s been a little over a year since the events of Cold Steel 2, and things have gotten back to normal in Erebonia. Rean and the others graduated from Thors, and he’s become a teacher at the new Thors Branch Campus, which is located in a different small town in the empire. Out of respect for his military accomplishments, he is also given his own Class VII, comprised of three students.

Cold Steel 3 sees another sizable jump in visuals, with characters now looking properly fleshed out and human, thanks to a new engine. This gives Erebonia a whole new look, and it was like exploring it for the first time again. Combat looks even better in this game, with more detailed environments and attack animations.

As far as endings go, Cold Steel 3 has one of the best, even if it ends on a massive cliffhanger. More of Rean’s backstory is revealed, further fleshing out the best protagonist in the games. This game deserves its rank, but it was extremely tough to get to that ending, and still have to wait for Cold Steel 4 to release.

3. Trails Through Daybreak I

• Release Date: 2021 in Japan and 2024 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Switch
• Our Trails Through Daybreak Review

Daybreak 1 begins the Calvard arc, taking the series into the Republic for the first time. The country is on an economic climb after being so close to war with Erebonia, and technology is advancing at a crazy rate. Our new protagonist is Van Arkride, a Spriggan who will take on any job someone might be too afraid to take to the cops or Bracers. He receives a job from Agnes Claudel, who is eager to find a set of devices made by her famous grandfather.

After five games of roughly the same combat mechanics, things finally changed. Not only are the typical turn-based battles enhanced with new features, but the game adds a further wrinkle. Daybreak introduced Field Battles, allowing you to fight enemies as if you’re playing an action RPG. You can choose when to get into turn-based fights, so combat becomes optional. You can easily beeline through areas without being forced to fight anything.

Van is also just a wholly unique protagonist. Not only is he the oldest yet, but his world-weary attitude and life experience have him more grounded than the do-gooders that came before. His position as a fixer also means that throughout Daybreak 1, you learn he has been involved behind the scenes in several huge events and somehow knows just about everyone.

2. Trails of Cold Steel II

• Release Date: 2014 in Japan and 2016 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS3, PS Vita

Rean’s story picks up only a month after the first game’s shocking cliffhanger. He wakes up high in the mountains near his home of Ymir and must put together what happened in his absence. Fortunately, he’s not alone. Rean’s new friend has been watching over him and is certainly the key to bringing peace back to Erebonia.

After Cold Steel 1 ended on a massive cliffhanger, I liked the sense of confusion over the whole thing. Rean also has no idea what has been going on, so it’s fun watching the puzzle of events get put back together. This includes the emotional reunions with everyone who was afraid he had died in the chaos.

Cold Steel 2 also further expands on a new combat style that came out of nowhere at the end of the first game and continued into Reverie. I’d say this is likely the best second game of any arc because it starts with tensions at an all-time high instead of a lull after the previous game’s insane events.

1. Trails of Cold Steel I

• Release Date: 2013 in Japan and 2015 Worldwide
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS3, PS Vita

This is the start of the Erebonia arc and introduces a new protagonist, Rean Schwarzer, as he enters the prestigious Thors Military Academy for his education. Historically, the academy has separated classes by social status, but they are doing something new this year. The brand new Class VII has been organized, grouping kids from all backgrounds. Rean is chosen to be part of this new class and gets to journey all over Erebonia as part of his education.

The first Cold Steel game has many distinctions that make it the best game of the series. The main one is that it is the first, I would say, modern game of the series. The 3D graphics and actual voice acting raised these games to new heights and gave a fresh way to connect with beloved characters. The other highlight of these games is that they offer the largest cast of party members out of any other arc. While that might sound like too many characters to keep track of, their unique personalities make that easy.

I believe Cold Steel 1 to be the best starting point of the series, not only because it is the only one easily available on modern consoles. It is the perfect distillation of the Trails formula of an unassuming group slowly pulled into a massive conspiracy. Plus, aspects, such as the use of the ‘C’ moniker, persist up to the most recent release in the series, and I think that’s awesome.

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