The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky for PSP Reviews & Ratings by IGN

Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky has been available in Japan for seven years now but it wasn't until now that we Western gamers were finally able to get our hands on it. It represents a branch of the larger Legend of Heroes tree which can trace its origin back more than two decades to the (Japanese release only) Dragon Slayer games. Although Trails in the Sky is the first part of this trilogy to come to North America, its habit-forming gameplay and strong story stake a bold claim for what will no doubt continue to be a very popular series.



The game stars teenage siblings Estelle and Joshua Bright, two aspiring young Bracers (knights) living in the peaceful kingdom of Liberl. Just as they graduate and become junior Bracers, their father, legendary Bracer Cassius Bright, is called away by unsettling events and sooner than they expected they're asked to shoulder some very grown-up responsibilities.



Trails in the Sky's two-fold focus is storytelling and combat. The first is expertly done through amusing text-only dialog sequences and the second is handled through a turn-based combat system. Once combat initiates, characters have the choice to Move, Attack, use Arts and Crafts (magic or special attacks) or trigger a powerful attack called an S-Craft. This diverse range of choices makes for some dynamic fights, not to mention some hair-raising, skin-of-your-teeth victories. The system is flexible enough that you can try one tactic and if you lose miserably you can immediately try again using a different approach. There's a lot to get the hang of but once it sinks in there's a lot of fun to be had mixing different attacks, magic spells, and combat orders.



Fighting is admittedly the main point of the game, but there are plenty of other things to do so you won't get burned out on brawling. You can browse the Bracer Guild bulletin boards and do odd jobs to earn more money and experience but it's best to do this early because optional quests expire and become far fewer down the line. Side quests are also local to each city so once you've left one area you can kiss its quests goodbye.



Though combat and questing are both a hoot, at least half the reason to play this game is the storyline. Gamers who hate talking head sequences will likely be put off by this aspect of things but let's face it, this genre is known for its labyrinthine plots. Trails in the Sky's story is complex but extremely well-crafted and besides, the dialog is hilarious. With a flamboyant bard hitting on everyone in sight (regardless of gender) and the kids' mentor drinking like a fish, there's a good number of borderline-inappropriate laughs.



While Trails in the Sky's pacing is good overall, some gamers might find themselves getting impatient when the game goes all High School Musical for over an hour, focusing on a school festival. Some gamers also might dislike the game's obviously dated graphics and unspectacular sound which is characterized by repetitively catchy musical themes that'll be echoing in your head long after you've finished the game.

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