Review for The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV. Game for PlayStation 4, PC and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 27/10/2020 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 24/10/2020
Last year, around this time of year, we brought you the review of Trails of Cold Steel III, one of the most surprising and satisfying JRPGs that we have ever played in the current generation; after just twelve months, Trails of Cold Steel IV closes the circle of a saga that in its poor western visibility, offers one of the most beautiful videogame experiences of our career. The adventure of Rean Schwarzer and the boys of Class VII expands into a peculiar final chapter, much more appreciated by that very small slice of the public that was able to play all the games of the saga (including the two that, in the West, are not even arrived), but which we also recommend to those who have enjoyed the previous Trails of Cold Steel. We will have a lot to talk about, so to give a small summary of the review: Trails of Cold Steel IV is a game that, paired with the previous one, should be played and loved by anyone who appreciates JRPGs, it does not reach the heights of the third chapter or Ao no Kiseki, but it comes close enough.
The adventure begins by immediately showing what we meant in the previous paragraph, regarding the references to the games of the previous saga. After the events of Trails of Cold Steel III our heroes are not in the best condition to continue fighting, so the revenge starts from the protagonists of the two previous game sagas, Trails in the Sky and Zero / Ao no Kiseki.
Taking control of Lloyd and Estelle within a full 3D game is a valuable experience for fans of the series, however it may be confusing for those who have only played the Cold Steel saga.. This event best encapsulates the major stumbling block represented by Trails of Cold Steel IV. Spread around the game there will be many of these peculiar occasions in which the fans of the PSP sagas will be winked and when explanations about the backgrounds of these characters are hinted at to many unknowns., it is undeniable that those who decide to give a chance only to Cold Steel will miss one of the most special elements of this last chapter, which appears as a kind of crossover between the various sagas in many points, a bit like in the well-known Marvel movie of the Avengers.
Outside of that, Trails of Cold Steel IV's flaws are very few. It is a rather pleasing product if considered the very low budget, with a soundtrack perhaps lower than some of its predecessors (in particular against Ao no Kiseki, still the best chapter of the saga) but still exceptional and with fewer technical problems than a Trails of Cold Steel III.
Talking about the narrative is rather delicate, as practically everything can be considered a spoiler, given the sudden and phenomenal cliffhanger finale of the previous Cold Steel, however we can assure you that this is a game that has everything you could want from a JRPG. There are strong emotional moments, especially at the beginning of the game, with the developers taking great care in how to manage to convey certain complex emotions with the limited resources available. There are interesting characters to follow through to a world with one of the best worldbuilding ever seen in a Japanese media, almost comparable to One Piece. But above all there are so many places where the game knows how to pump the blood in your veins and put you to face epic battles against memorable opponents.
There is, however, one major criticism of Trails of Cold Steel IV narratively, which is what keeps it from passing III: it's too good with characters.the. Death is a very powerful narrative tool, but also a very delicate one. Kind of like the previously mentioned One Piece, too Trails of Cold Steel IV often backs down from killing, but unlike Eiichiro Oda's work, he sometimes saves characters who were much better off killing to increase the emotional impact of the story.
Some decisions, as much as we liked the impact because we got attached to all the characters, we didn't share them in the long run as they simply seemed like wasted opportunities just to keep some of the fan favorite characters alive. However, the fact that we recommend the title, also and above all for the story, despite this huge flaw, testifies how magnificent everything else is. Trails of Cold Steel IV's main narrative merit is how satisfying it is to complete. The knots planted in the last three games come to a head and the showdown is spectacular and gripping.
Gameplay-wise, the game hasn't changed particularly since Trails of Cold Steel III. There are more characters available and more gear to enhance the already immense different build potential of the game that preceded it, but nothing more. We don't find this a flaw, quite the opposite, but we invite you to read our review of Trails of Cold Steel III for more details on the game system. The difficulty seemed well balanced to us, especially in difficult mode, in which even if you break the game with exceptional builds you will still have to think to win many bossfights.
What has drastically changed is the pace of the game, now more free and open as it is no longer linked to the school reality of the Thors military academy. Exploration is much freer and more interesting than in the previous title, and Falcom made this difference one of the strengths of Trails of Cold Steel IV. Thanks to a huge amount of content including side missions, dialogues, collectibles and so on, this latest adventure by Rean Schwarzer is the Cold Steel that is more fun to play with a completist eye.
This is also why seek reward completism not only on the gameplay level, but also on the story level: so much world building comes from the secondary missions, from the dialogues with the people of the village and from the secondary and tertiary characters who have more character than some protagonists of other JRPGs.
Additionally, Trails of Cold Steel IV is the best example of a "bond" scene between characters. Bonds are essentially similar to Persona confidants: they are intimate scenes between the protagonist and secondary characters of both genres, in which their is deepened. In this chapter, however, these scenes delve into much more than the between Rean and Class VII. Many characters are involved, many arcs of maturation of the characters are brought to a conclusion in these scenes and above all you almost always discover something very interesting about the world. On a couple of occasions we have even been moved by a couple of events, such as Laura's first bond or Alfin's first. It's just a pity that we can create a dynamic "harem" around the protagonist by choosing to deepen the with all the girls, which did not bother us, but which undoubtedly limits the potential of some characters who initially seemed to be headed in a different direction than that of simple love interest.
With hours that easily reach 3 digits and a Nightmare mode that offers a rather interesting NG +, Trails of Cold Steel IV is also perfect for anyone looking for a long-lasting and satisfying experience. The story lacks courage on some occasions, but the epicness of the showdown and the strength of the characters manages to fill in the gaps easily. With the usual exceptional combat and customization system that characterizes the series, great music and a pleasant glance, this latest product from Nihon Falcom is a must for anyone who loves JRPGs. It doesn't get to the level of its best titles like Ao no Kiseki or Trails of Cold Steel III, but all in all it doesn't go that far.
► The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is a JRPG type game developed by Nihon Falcom Corporation and published by NIS America for PlayStation 4, PC and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 27/10/2020 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 24/10/2020
