The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is a 2011 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is the fifth installment of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. Trails to Azure serves as a sequel to Trails from Zero (2010), forming the second and final part of the series’ Crossbell arc.
Trails to Azure released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable in 2011 with no release outside of Asia until 2023, when it was published by NIS America for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch, with ports to the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 set for release on September 10, 2026. The English release was based upon the work of a fan translation.
Plot
Trails to Azure is set a few months after the ending of Trails from Zero. The protagonists: Lloyd, Elie, Tio and Randy, the police’s Special Support Section (SSS), are joined by new recruits – the Army sergeant major Noel Seeker and the former gang leader Wazy Hemisphere.
Upon reuniting, the SSS investigates the Red Constellation, an infamous mercenary corps which has set up a base in Crossbell. Randy reveals that the head of the Red Constellation, Sigmund, is his uncle, who wants Randy to follow in his father’s footsteps as the corps’ leader. The SSS is asked to provide security at a trade conference between the nations of western Zemuria, held at the newly built Orchis Tower. The conference is disrupted by terrorists targeting the leaders of Erebonia and Calvard, who escape from the building only to be killed by the Red Constellation and members of the Calvardian crime syndicate Heiyue. The two nations use the incident to push for sanctions on Crossbell, but Crossbell’s mayor, Dieter Crois, says it proves that Crossbell needs to be more autonomous. He begins planning a referendum for Crossbellan independence.
The SSS are sent to investigate the appearance of the secret society Ouroboros in the city, but members of the society defeat them and disappear. They also clash with the Red Constellation, who launches an attack on the city. Eventually, the referendum takes place. When pro-independence voters win, Crois declares Crossbell an independent state with himself as president, triggering hostility from Erebonia and Calvard. Later that day, the SSS discovers that the government has taken their adoptive daughter KeA. While confronting the government’s forces, they learn that KeA is an artificial human created centuries prior to embody the Sept-Terrion of Mirage, a powerful artifact gifted to humanity by the Goddess in ancient times which could control causality. KeA awakens her abilities and uses them to power weapons that annihilate the invading Erebonian and Calvardian forces, while the SSS is arrested and imprisoned.
A month later, Lloyd breaks out of prison and reunites the SSS, planning to rescue KeA. They infiltrate the city and defeat President Crois at the top of Orchis Tower, only for his allies to abandon him. Crois’ daughter Mariabell uses magic to grow a massive Azure Tree on the outskirts of the city, an embodiment of KeA’s power. The SSS use an airship to ascend the Tree and fight their way inward. Along the way, Randy defeats Sigmund and denies his destiny as a mercenary. At the top, Mariabell explains that even before her awakening, KeA could alter reality, and reveals that the SSS was originally killed by Joachim Guenter before KeA intervened. She also states that their love for KeA was artificially created. Agitated, KeA loses control and transforms into a monstrous avatar of the Sept-Terrion, which the party defeats. Afterward, Lloyd comforts KeA and explains that their love was real, and she willingly erases her own power from existence.
In the aftermath, the Azure Tree collapses and Crois’ conspirators are arrested, except for Mariabell and Sigmund’s daughter Shirley, who are recruited to Ouroboros. However, Crossbell is annexed by the Erebonian Empire, which leads into the events of the Trails of Cold Steel arc.
Release
Ao no Kiseki was released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable on September 29, 2011. It was later ported to Windows for release in China on March 28, 2013. It was also released for the PlayStation Vita in Japan on June 12, 2014, as Ao no Kiseki: Evolution. This version features improved visuals and more voice acting. The Evolution version received a remaster for the PlayStation 4, releasing in Japan under the title Ao no Kiseki Kai on May 28, 2020. It was also released for the Nintendo Switch in China and South Korea by Clouded Leopard Entertainment on April 22, 2021.
Trails to Azure and its predecessor, Trails from Zero, were not localized in English by the time of the Japanese release of Trails of Cold Steel in 2013. Falcom subsequently approached Xseed Games, who had previously localized Trails in the Sky, and requested that a localization of Trails of Cold Steel be prioritized instead, resulting in Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure being skipped. An English fan translation was released in 2018, with another one by a team known as the “Geofront” released in May 2021. Geofront’s release would serve as the foundation for an official English version by NIS America for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Windows, released in March 2023 in North America, Europe and Australasia. That version was also released in Japan for the Switch by Falcom on August 31, 2023.
Reception
Trails to Azure received “generally favorable” reviews according to review aggregator website Metacritic.
The game was listed as one of the best upcoming games of 2011 at that year’s Tokyo Game Show. Along with Trails from Zero, Comic Book Resources highlighted the game’s “persistent overarching storyline, immersive and detailed settings, masterful character development [and] unique battle system”. They noted that, despite the lack of an official localization at the time, the plot and characters were integral to understanding later games in the series.
Notes
References
External links
- Official website
⭐ Review Scores
Gamer24h Editor's Take
Having closely reviewed The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure, the Gamer24h editorial team considers it one of the most noteworthy titles of recent times. The visionary approach of developer Nihon Falcom, combined with the expertise of publisher Nihon Falcom, NIS America, has resulted in an exceptionally refined product. Its innovative take on the Role-playing genre offers a breath of fresh air for fans of the category. With a solid review average of 86, the game has proven its worth and deserves a place in any gamer's library. All in all, the Gamer24h team stands firmly behind our rating. This is a unique journey you won't want to miss.