The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

About The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

Nihon Falcom released The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel back in September 2013 as the sixth main entry in their long-running series. This title kicks off the Erebonia arc and follows Rean Schwarzer, a student at Thors Military Academy. You join Class VII, an unusual group where nobles and commoners study together without social barriers. XSEED Games handled the publishing duties for the Western release. Players can find this turn-based strategy RPG on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and PC. The game drops you into a continent where political tensions between reformists and nobles are heating up while you train to become an officer.

Gameplay

You spend most of your time exploring the academy grounds and the surrounding world before engaging in turn-based battles. Combat relies on managing your party's action points and crafting strategic moves against enemies. The standout feature is the Tactical Link System, which lets characters perform follow-up attacks if they have high enough link levels with their teammates. These link abilities range from dealing extra damage to healing partners or boosting their resource gain. You will spend hours grinding levels and building these connections to unlock new combat options. Sessions involve walking through detailed maps, talking to NPCs to advance a heavy story, and carefully planning each turn in battle against varied foes.

What Players Think

Critics gave the game a solid 79 on Metacritic, and the PlayPile community agrees it is worth your time. Our data shows an average playtime of 42 hours for main story completion, with many users spending over 60 hours chasing every secret. Community mood remains highly positive, with 88 percent of reviewers recommending the title despite its length. Users frequently mention the deep character interactions and the satisfaction of mastering the link mechanics. Review snippets often highlight the game's willingness to let you invest time in party bonding before seeing real results. The achievement list is also active, with 15 players hitting platinum status within the first month of release.

PlayPile's Take

This title is a heavy commitment for anyone who wants a classic JRPG experience without hand-holding. The price point reflects its size as it stands as a complete entry in a larger saga. You will need patience for the pacing, but the tactical depth offers real value once you understand the systems. Players who enjoy grinding stats and managing party relationships will find plenty to do here. If you skip this game, you miss out on a critical piece of the Erebonia arc that defines the series' direction. It is not for casual gamers looking for quick sessions, but it delivers hours of engaging content for dedicated fans.

Storyline

Among the nations on the Zemurian continent, the mighty Erebonian Empire has been quick to outwardly stake its claim militarily; yet politically, ugly bouts of internal conflict between the upper class and commoners attempting to rise to power have been steadily intensifying day by day. The Noble and Reformist Factions have been none too kind to one another over the years, and tensions between the two only stand to worsen if compromises aren’t made in the very near future. Rean Schwarzer, like any other citizen of the Imperial Nation, is no stranger to these rising conflicts: the class system has been deeply embedded into the hearts of every Erebonian since the days of old. As a seventeen-year-old student preparing for his new life at Thors Military Academy, however, he notices that his crimson uniform differs from the standard ones issued to his peers—typically green for commoners, and white for nobles. Enter, Class VII of Thors Military Academy. For the first time in the prestigious academy’s history, rank means nothing and skill means everything. With nine hand-picked students of various backgrounds and abilities, Rean included, Class VII readies itself to dive deep into the political quagmire that threatens not only them, but the Empire as a whole.