Revisiting The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (First Chapter) on Nintendo Switch

courtesy of GungHo

Going back to Trails in the Sky FC on the Switch doesn't seem much like playing through an old favorite but rather like returning to a town where you once lived: the streets are unchanged, your neighbors remember you, and the pace of everyday life is exactly the same. And yet this is both the game's most admirable feature and, for some new players, its greatest difficulty. It is a slow, careful RPG that places more trust in its world and its characters than in any one dramatic scene.

When Estelle and Joshua Bright become new Bracers, their early journey, during the first twenty hours, does not involve pursuing a threat that could end the world. Instead, it consists of carrying out ordinary tasks in the small town, getting involved in local politics, and including a kind of character interactions that only prove worthwhile because the game is patient enough to let them develop. On a second or third playthrough, you realize just how many of the so-called 'throwaway' conversations with NPCs are in fact setting up events in later chapters and even in later titles of the Trails series. Few JRPGs consistently reward players for being attentive.

The port doesn't aim for anything flashy; instead it retains the turn-based, grid-based combat system that was present in the original version, featuring an AT (Action Time) bar to determine turn order and a crafting system (involving Quartz and Orbments) which allows you to customize your magic and stats well before "build crafting" became a popular term in the genre. On the Switch it runs smoothly both when docked and in handheld mode, and the handheld version is probably the more suitable one – the game was designed with short play sessions, side quests, and the activity of wandering around town to talk to everyone twice in mind.

The loading times are good, the user interface has held up pretty well, and because the entire game is portable the large sidequest system becomes much more convenient to access during commutes or when you have some free time, rather than having to spend long sessions at your desk.

When you play it for the first time, the pacing may feel slow; although it has a charming effect on replay, the plot doesn't really get going until well into the latter third of the game. The menu navigation and a number of the user interface features show that they have origins from the PC era, and the game doesn't guide you regarding the best Orbment builds or inform you about content that is missable, which may frustrate players accustomed to more up-to-date conveniences.

Looking again at Trails in the Sky FC on the Switch proves once more what long-time fans have always known: it is one of the most carefully constructed opening chapters in the history of JRPGs, even though it requires patience at the beginning. The focus isn't on immediate excitement, but on a world so realistically developed that returning to it feels like coming home. The game is recommended for longtime fans who want a portable way to relive it, and for new players willing to go through a slow process before reaching something remarkable.

8.5 out of 10: it is a methodical and character-focused RPG which punishes impatience and rewards a good memory for names.

courtesy of GungHo