Falcom’s The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is the start to a legendary story that took fans a decade to actually play in English on home consoles. NIS America and PH3 GmbH‘s 2022 release of the turn-based RPG finally bridged the gap that some Trails fans had between the official Trails in the Sky and Trails of Cold Steel sagas, and now, the Crossbell duology comes to Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 with extra features. Of course, this begs the question: are the new versions of Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure really worth it for returning players?
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero comes to Switch and PlayStation 5 with all of its content included from the 2022 port, so virtually nothing is missing in that regard. You’ll experience Crossbell’s inaugural chapter with the story of Lloyd Bannings and the Special Support Section, and on a second playthrough, I’m reminded of just how special this game is. Trails from Zero is an all-time classic, and the vibes of exploring Crossbell with that memorable score by Falcom Sound Team jdk are unmatched. The turn-based combat system of Trails from Zero doesn’t deviate from its predecessors, and it’s also streamlined enough that newcomers who played more recent games in the series can go backwards to this entry and be right at home. I highly recommend reading my Trails from Zero review for more story and combat-related details if you’re a newcomer to the series, but I still think Trails from Zero holds up as a really good entry point in the series.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero Takes Full Advantage of Switch 2 and PlayStation 5
Trails from Zero returns with all of its graphical improvements and the signature high-speed mode from the 2022 PH3 port, which is based on the Geofront localization. This port was already really good on Nintendo Switch and superseded what the original PSP game achieved for its time, but the Switch 2 and PS5 versions really perfect it in terms of performance.
Trails from Zero runs at 4K on both Switch 2 and PS5, and the game looks really vibrant and full of color at such a high resolution. It’s not just the resolution, though. This port features updated textures to ensure the jump to the high resolution gets the best out of Crossbell. It’s a real joy to explore Crossbell, build out my Orbments and grow stronger, talk to the memorable NPCs, and just experience the rise of the SSS chapter by chapter again.
It also helps that the game is running at 120 FPS on both platforms, so the performance is insanely smooth. On Nintendo Switch 2, you can choose to play at 1080p at 120Hz, 1080p at 60 FPS, and 1080p at 30 FPS. With these three options, you can choose to prioritize frame rate or compromise for longer battery life. In docked mode, the game runs at 4K 60 FPS, but if you have a compatible gaming monitor or TV, you can run Trails from Zero at 1440p with 120Hz. In either mode, you can also use mouse controls in the game at any time seamlessly as you play. Mouse controls are more of a novelty to me, but if you’re at a desk playing, it’s not bad at all to use.
This is all in addition to features that were developed for the port years ago, such as dynamic shadows, a water shader with dynamic reflection and refraction animations, and FXAA, which can be toggled on and off. You can even replicate the classic look of the game by adjusting the texture style to the Classic setting, but personally, I think the Modern preset is ideal. Some of the UI elements and cutscenes still look a little fuzzy in this port, but like the original port, I didn’t have much issue considering this is still a PSP game at its very core.
For returning players, you’ll be pleased to know that save data does transfer over to the new port of Trails from Zero—at least from what I experienced on Nintendo Switch 2. I was able to load up my clear data and start a new playthrough with no issues. However, I can’t say I didn’t have an issue when it comes to one certain aspect about this release. The lack of an upgrade path is slightly disappointing, especially when games like Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter and Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter have upgrade paths ready and waiting. This is in addition to the physical copy of the Trails from Zero / Trails to Azure bundle being a Game-Key Card on Switch 2, which is just as disappointing in my eyes.
Trails from Zero is a Great RPG that Continues to Age Well
Regardless, The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is a really great RPG with fulfilling turn-based combat that doesn’t overstay its welcome. The Orbment system never gets old in my eyes, and combat feels rewarding, despite the lack of quality-of-life improvements and features that later entries received. This rendition of Crossbell is special and continues to hold a lot of weight in the Trails series for all of the incredible—and tragic—moments that have happened here. This is an introductory story to the characters of the SSS and the issues that plague Crossbell underneath the surface, and for the most part, it nails every single chapter.
On Switch 2 and PS5, you get everything that makes Trails from Zero special but with the extra bells and whistles. I honestly thought the Nintendo Switch version was already fantastic when it first release, but with 4K and 120 FPS support included on Switch 2, I just can’t go back now. I understand if fans would rather stick to the Switch version, though. For $39.99, Trails from Zero is a must-play RPG for newcomers, but returning fans who already own the game on consoles and PC will probably not be in a rush to try this new port.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is available now for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam in the west. The Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 versions release on September 10.
Disclaimer: NIS America provided a Nintendo Switch 2 copy of The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero for review purposes
