The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure Cheats and Tips
Play Trails From Zero First
You see what we mean? Let’s just jump into the heart of the matter – Trails to Azure isn’t going to make much sense to you without its direct predecessor, Trails from Zero. Zero introduces the duology’s core cast. It builds them up from ostensible nobodies – hence ‘zero’ – and by game’s end, these former whoevers have transformed into capable heroes recognized by the people of the nation of Crossbell for their valor.
That’s another thing. Crossbell. It’s where the Zero/Azure duology is set, and you’ll spend well over a hundred hours between the games getting to know the city’s layout to a tee. Seeing how its citizens’ lives change across every chapter of Trails from Zero makes everyone stand out far more memorably in Trails to Azure. Most importantly, Azure’s plot carries on straight from Zero’s, so you’re going to feel fairly lost without it.
Strongly Consider Also Playing Trails Of Cold Steel 1 And 2
The Legend of Heroes is sprawling. Several sub-series have occurred within the franchise; and unlike other JRPG series like Final Fantasy, every game is connected to a larger tapestry within a singular world. While we’ll recommend the Trails from the Sky trilogy to old-school Japanese role-playing game fans until we’re blue in the face, the most important non-Crossbell games are the Erebonian ones – Trails of Cold Steel.
The first two Trails of Cold Steel games roughly occur prior to and partly during Trails from Zero. Interactions between the casts become prevalent in both Trails to Azure and the third and fourth Cold Steel games. This isn’t simply a matter of the camera winking at folks who are familiar with both, tossing in easter eggs and inside jokes along the way. You can certainly keep up with Trails to Azure’s tale without playing Cold Steel 1 and 2, but you’ll feel far more complete with those games’ intricacies in mind.
Don’t Let The Above Two Tips Deter You
Before we move on, here’s a tip straight from the heart – we realize the Legend of Heroes series is a considerable commitment, but standout entries like Trails to Azure make the whole experience more than worth the effort. This is probably the richest, most in-depth setting in JRPGs, rivaled only by Western giants like The Elder Scrolls. But whereas Tamriel is a land where the lore shines brighter than its storytelling, The Legend of Heroes rocks at both.
Put plainly, it’s worth getting to a point that you can play this game. Don’t be alarmed by the sheer size of the franchise. Just give the first couple a chance and go from there at your leisure.
Consider The Switch And PC Versions
There’s nothing about the PS4 version of Trails to Azure that is inherently ‘borked’ relative to the original Japanese release over a decade ago. It is, more or less, the same game with a few quality of life improvements. This does give it a leg down relative to the other two ports, however; whereas the PS4 version is a straightforward remaster, the Switch and PC versions both have higher-resolution graphics and an increased number of features.
The reasons for this are complicated, and frankly, a little disheartening. But the point is that between the trio of ways to play Trails to Azure, two are inherently superior to the third. That doesn’t mean PlayStation-only owners should skip the game outright. It’s perfectly playable, and if you don’t stare too longingly at screenshots of the better visuals over on PC and Switch, you probably won’t miss a thing. But it’s totally a tip, because we verily noticed the difference.
Don’t Obsess Over Detective Points (Unless You Want To)
Detective Points, or ‘DP’, mark their triumphant return from Trails from Zero as a way of measuring Lloyd and his team’s successful achievements throughout the game. These are awarded for everything from flawlessly cracking cases to beating certain opponents throughout the Crossbell region.
The thing is, obsessing over getting every single possible point can really ruin the mood. If you’re perfectionist, follow our guides as we go over chapter-by-chapter coverage, or (dare we suggest) follow someone else’s if ours aren’t finished yet while you’re playing. But make a choice between caring a ton and not much at all before you start the game to save yourself from headache halfway down the road if you realize you missed one point.
