Topic: Trails From Zero for Nintendo Switch

Surprised to see there's no thread for this game, even on launch day. So now we've got one.

I hope I'm not the only one here playing this gem. It's the first of the Crossbell duology in the broader Legend of Heroes series.

The game was released on PSP in Japan, originally. PS4 got a port a few years ago. Today, that PS4 version was released in the west, but the Switch and PC got a Remastered version of it thanks to another company handling those versions. It includes new HD textures and assets, new convo logs (massive addition for a story and dialog heavy JRPG), multiple game speed settings for both in and out of battle, multiple text size options that can even auto toggle when docked and undocked, new UI elements, far more save slots, etc.

The game looks absolutely pristine on Switch OLED. It feels like I'm playing the PC version on Steamdeck. It really does. The game is super crisp, super smooth, with all the bells and whistles you could possible ask for.

I got the collector edition also and I love the steelbook it came with. Very nice package all around.

Got Steam version last night & will start that as soon as I've done some other stuff this morning, @JaxonH ....

I played one of these games on PC, I actually quite enjoyed my time with it and can't remember why I dropped it. I didn't know this was coming, but I looked into it when it got into my radar because of the fond memories of the other one I played and man... what a toxic environment these games create.

It has probably the most convoluted, inaccessible release order I've ever seen for a long running game series, and it seems like any post about this series there are a hundred people who come out of the woodwork like 'err, have you played Minus Exe Cold Trial Steel Sky 2 - 3 and part 0.5 on the Casio Sportswatch? Because if not, what are you even doing play this title?! Get out of here!'

Like cool then, if that is the case, I will play something else. Got plenty of other stuff I can play.

Never heard of either of those ... I was fortunate to start with Cold Steel 1 on Vita but there were still people talking about 'the Crossbell arc' & something or other duology, lol

Lol that is because I made them up, but the series is so inaccessible to new people, you didn't even realise! Haha.

In all seriousness, there are a bunch of titles that are PSP exclusive, or never released officially outside of Japan, and apparently they are all "vital to the story" but how am I supposed to play any of those then? It is even better when you read the comments in more detail and they will be like "err well you won't be confused about what is going on, but in one scene this character puts his hand on a table and that is actually a deeply emotional moment that calls back to EXE SOUL ZERO SILVER X PART 0.75 where..."

Like, yeah... I'm out. See ya.

(I also exaggerated that second part for comedic effect if anyone was confused by that. Just please, go read the Reddit threads, you won't tell the difference).

I'm about four hours in. Having a really good time.

My problem now is...I can't remember if I put a preorder down for Trails to Azure?

Old-man syndrome. I'll have to check my emails later, lol.

75 hours in and loving every minute of the game. I also love how this game has trophies that pop on-screen when you achieve them. There aren't many games on Switch that do that, Zero joins Savior of Sapphire Wings and Stranger of Sword City Revisited in this regard on the Switch and that's awesome! 😻

I definitely advise avoiding such Reddit threads, @Pizzamorg .... But this & Trails to Azure were previously Japan only, for instance! So, that's part of what gets confusing, with the way it takes years for them to come over here
Steam would be your best bet for the series, now, it has most of them & is getting the rest, too

I love the charm of this game. The style is off the charts. I mean, I like the newer style seen in Cold Steel. But this looks really good for being as old as it is. Especially with these new textures and assets. The multiple game speed options also help a ton. I like 2x speed out of battle, with either 2x or 3x speed in battle.

Ran into a snag with the "Enigma Combat Test" side quest.

Equip quartz of x3 blue, x3 green, and x5 white to unlock the Hollow Sphere art in your orbment.

Finally got to jump into this game today and get through the tutorial quest and explore all of Crossbell- the various districts, shops, NPCs, etc, read the different newspaper articles and library books, all of it.

Just checked back into my loft and reported the quest complete, and accepted the first batch of 3 requests. This game wastes no time sucking you into the world. The writers for this series are incredible.

Still waiting for my pre-order. Been dispatched today though apparently.

@gcunit
Collector edition or standard?

@JaxonH I deliberated over that decision for literally months.

When it came time, the stars were shining on the Collector's edition. I can't even remember what swung it for me though. **** those ****ing stars and their glorious light, just so damn twinkly.

I've crossed that line with video game collecting now. That line that can only be crossed once. Once you start reasoning with yourself that if you don't get the fancy edition you'll forever regret it, you are truly gone. That is me now, I fear. At least, for Switch games. Basically anything with a physical release that ever occurred to me as something I'd like to have/try, I am seeking out.

But I'm not sure I'll ever buy non-Nintendo hardware again. Too invested in Switch, emotionally and financially, to even contemplate the others now.

@gcunit

In 10 years time, your room will be a game room, whether you intended it or not.

There is no going back.

@gcunit
BTW, I feel you with that. Despite owning a [deep breath...] PS5, Xbox Series X, PC and Steamdeck, I honestly never use them. Ever. For anything. Maybe turn on once a year just to update the system software and shut it back off.

It's not that other platforms aren't great. They're fantastic! I just don't have time or interest in them anymore. FOMO led to buying them in the first place, and not just for the systems but the idea of, "not being able to play a game I want to play". Which sounds great in theory and all. But in actuality, 1) I never want to play a game that's not hybrid anymore, and even with PC-Steamdeck combo with Steam Cloud Saves, the battery life, large size and incompatible games keeps me from wanting to play it, and 2) There are so many quality games releasing on Switch now I can't even keep up. And while normally I'd cherry pick X amount of the best games to play each year across all platforms, the appeal of Switch games is such that I'd rather play an 8/10 game on Switch than a 10/10 game anywhere else.

I still like having them "just in case". And the fact so many of them can be played with gyro aiming at least keeps them from being ruled out entirely (Steam has Gyro by default, while XIM Nexus controller does gyro for X1, XS and PS4 games). But even that wasn't enough to get me to play them.

Feel like I wasted a few hundred bucks stacking Gamepass for 5 yrs. But oh well. Lesson learned.

It's a testament to Switch's appeal though. Never before has my time been so utterly dominated by one platform. It's the best console ever made, bar none. I can't wait for the next generation Switch, when we get a power leap that eliminates the one real issue with the system.

@JaxonH I was internally nodding my head and 'yup'-ing all the way through that last post of yours... until your last line. The Switch successor won't eliminate the power issue, there will always be compromises and those people saying "Well I'm pleased Switch 2 got this port for those that only have a Switch 2 to play it on, but ima play this on my PS6 for the 8k upscaling and super-double-duper HDR-Max with 60fps-lock".

Switch 2 will get more power hungry games and will continue to see 30fps versions of games, I'm sure.

But I'm only being pedantic, I'm with you in spirit. I can't see how Switch 2 can possibly repeat the success of Switch, but I'm looking forward to it nonetheless. Not that I'm in any hurry personally.

@gcunit
Oh for sure, those people aren't going anywhere. The goalposts will just shift.

But for me, personally, it will rectify the only notable drawback with the system. While more demanding games will be brought over and thus will likely still be 30fps, that still means more games being ported that can't currently run, and we should see 1080p/720p as a baseline resolution in docked/handheld, likely higher if utilizing DLSS 2.2 (which the recently leaked Tegra239 references and was confirmed over a year ago by the notorious Nvidia leaker). All I want is for the sloppy ports to at least hit HD resolutions in docked and handheld, and frame drops below 30 to become far less frequent.

Having said that, I'm not losing my mind waiting. There's so much quality on Switch right now it's hard to be hungry when you're constantly being fed 7 course meals from 5 star chefs.

I picked it up day one. Not sure when I will start. Need a new game but not sure if I wanna tackle an rpg right now.

Much to my delight, I did manage to place a preorder for the Trails to Azure LE before it sold through.

I hope this duology ends as strongly as it started.

Fifteen hours in, about halfway through chapter three now.