Editorial Review] This is the cutting edge of JRPGs! The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Revenge", the latest in the much-improved "Trails of Revenge" series! The first chapter of the demo version is now available!

The latest title in Nihon Falcom's signature RPG "Locus" series, "Kuro no Kiseki" (Trails of Rei), was released on September 30, 2021. Editor A, who has played the first part of the game and is a "Kiseki" fanatic, will review the game!

The "Trails in the Sky" series is a popular series that has developed 11 titles over the past 17 years since the first "Trails in the Sky FC" (Windows version) was released in 2004, and has also been ported to various platforms.

This title is set on the continent of Zemuria, which has both fantastical and scientific elements similar to real modern society, through a fusion of scientific and mystical technology known as "guiding force.

The series is based on the "plans" carried out behind the scenes by a mysterious organization called "The Association. The protagonists of each title come into contact with the "society" in various ways, but the "society" is not a monolithic entity; at times it antagonizes the protagonists, at other times it fights with them, and at other times it turns out to have a tremendous influence on society, acting for far-reaching purposes. It is portrayed as a mysterious and unfathomable organization that acts for far-reaching purposes.

On the other hand, the countries of Zemuria are also striving for hegemony and independence, and wars, civil wars, and conflicts often erupt throughout the film.

The heroes, later called "heroes," run through these turbulent times. So far, 11 titles in the "Locus" series have been released, depicting the heroes' efforts to overcome numerous hardships and win peace.

In an interview with Nihon Falcom, President Toshihiro Kondo said that the 10th title in the series, "Trails of Creation," released in 2020, marks the end of the "West Zemuria Arc," which began with the first title, and that the story has finally reached the end of its cycle.

With the series having truly reached a turning point, the game engine has been completely redesigned for this "Reign of Terror" title. The graphics have been intensely enhanced, the action game-like tempo has been pursued, the battle system has become more strategy-oriented, and the tactical orbits have been completely reincarnated, all in keeping with the "Trails of Rei" series.

The story and characters have also been completely redesigned, making this a game that we recommend to anyone who wants to play the "Locus" series for the first time! We recommend this game to anyone who wants to play the "Locus" series for the first time.

So, let's get started with the review!

Fascinating Characters

One thing that cannot be overlooked when talking about the "Kiseki" series is its fascinating characters.

The main character in this work is Van Arkriede. He is a backroom solver (spriggan) who runs the "Arkride Solving Office" in the Republic of Calvado.

↑Van is serious about his work and his money, but he loves sweets more than food.

He is more of a young man than an outlaw who handles everything from civilian problems to the dirty work of the underworld.

The story begins when he is visited by a female student named Agnes Claudel. Someone has stolen her late great-grandfather's orbment, and she has come to Van for help in finding it.

↑Agnes, relying on the journal left by her great-grandfather, throws herself into the search for the orb. That great-grandfather's name was C. Epstein, the father of the conductive revolution.

There are eight of these power tools, and if they are not all in place by a certain time, the world will end. ...... was written in his great-grandfather's journal, and the pursuit of this mystery will be the center of the story.

In addition, Feri Alphayd, a girl who is also a member of a mercenary organization called "The Hunters", moves into Van's office, Elaine Eau Claire, a "ranger" who protects civilians, hints at a past relationship with Van, and René Kincaid, an agent of the CID (Central Intelligence Department), is a member of the "Rangers", a group of mercenary soldiers. The story is told by a number of characters from different walks of life.

The story unfolds through the complex intertwining of the thoughts and ideas of the characters in various positions.

↑Feri, a girl who is a hunter. Although she is highly skilled in combat, she usually shows childishness appropriate for her age.

↑upElaine, a ranger, is well-known among civilians. She seems to have a close relationship with Van. ......

↑upRene and Van are in different positions, but they seem to have strong trust in each other.

In the past, most of the main characters in the "Kiseki" series have been in the "yang" world, such as a ranger, a police officer, or a student at a military academy, but Van is different from the previous works because he is a character who lives halfway on the other side of society. Van, however, is a character who is halfway behind the scenes of society, which gives his work a hard-boiled atmosphere, to say the least.

↑upThere are also scenes where he engages in a tense bargaining session with a shady informant.

Van, who knows the ins and outs of the world, and Agnes, a young lady student.

The story gradually begins to take shape around this uneven duo.

Although Nihon Falcom has announced that the "Trails in the Sky" series will enter a new chapter starting with "Trails in the Sky," this does not mean that characters from previous games in the series will not appear in the game.

Jin Vasek, the "steadfast" Jin who played a major role in the "Trails in the Sky" series, will appear as the leader of the Calvado Rangers Association.

↑If you have played "Trails in the Sky," you may call him "Jin-san," or "Mr. Jin" without thinking!

In addition, Cao Li is an executive of the Eastern human syndicate "Heiyue". The "Executioner," a member of the "Society" and a member of the executive class, Walter Kron, and many other characters from past works appear in the game, both friend and foe alike.

I, as a player who has played the previous titles in the series, was excited to find out what happened to the characters who appeared in the previous titles, as well as to see them in unexpected positions.

↑Tsao, who as usual has no visible soul. He seems to be traveling back and forth between Crossbell and Calvard, the locations of "Zero no Kiseki" and "Heki no Kiseki.

↑I don't think this hair color is that character ......! Some of the characters appear in unexpected forms.

Of course, even those who are not familiar with the past works can enjoy the story without any sense of discomfort, so don't worry. If you are curious about their presence in this work, you may want to go back to the series.

The setting is the Republic of Calvado, with its modern buildings and facilities

As mentioned above, this work takes place in the Republic of Calvado. Although the name of the country has often appeared in the series, and people related to the country have appeared in the past, this is the first time the country is depicted as the stage of a game.

Roy Gramhart, who was electrifyingly inaugurated as the new president in ↑"Trail of Creation". What are his aims?

Chronologically, "Sen no Kiseki IV" depicts the invasion of the Erebonian Empire, and "Sou no Kiseki" follows after "Sou no Kiseki" in which Roy Gramhart is inaugurated as the new president. Calvado has entered an unprecedented economic boom based on the huge reparations received from the empire, and the city has developed a transportation network of bus routes and subways. In addition, various ethnic groups are entering and leaving the country, and the city ostensibly appears to be very vibrant.

↑In the capital city of Edith, modern facilities such as bus roundabouts, large department stores, and skyscrapers are being built one after another.

↑There is also a magnificent subway station.

On the other hand, however, a new organization has begun to emerge in the territory of the "black moon," which had been in charge of the Republic's underworld, and there have been incidents involving anti-social organizations known as "semi-gres.

↑When you walk around the town, you may be accused of being involved in a crime by a group of half-religious organizations. ......

Furthermore, as in the previous "Kiseki" series, demonic beasts roam underground and in the suburbs of the city, threatening people's lives. ......

↑Underground of the capital city, there are places where demonic beasts live!

This time, requests are received at bulletin boards scattered around the city. The player will solve the requests that are posted on the back of the bulletin boards with the code "4SPG". Feeling like a "Shiteh Ha~tter"?

↑Billboards like this one are scattered throughout the city.

↑When you receive a request, the details of the request are recorded like this. When you accomplish a request, you earn points and your rank as a backroom solver rises.

The characteristic of this work is that it is not all clean work, as it is also a work of an outlaw.

Depending on the results of the request and the choices made, the three attribute parameters of "LAW," "CHAOS," and "GRAY" will change. The values change some of Van's parameters, as well as the forces with which he fights and the forces against him.

If the value of "LAW" is high, it is possible to fight together with public organizations like rangers, but if the values of "GRAY" and "CHAOS" are high, on the contrary, the relationship with underground organizations seems to be strengthened.

↑During the story, choices can be made like this.

↑The results of your actions and choices will affect your attributes.

Will you stay on the side of justice, or will you become a sweeper who is willing to take the path of evil as long as he is rewarded? ...... It's up to the player.

Combat system with turn-based and action options

The most significant difference between this title and previous titles in the series is the battle system.

In previous installments of the "Locus" series, players could attack enemy symbols displayed on the field to stop them in their tracks, or stun them to surprise them and create an advantageous situation in battle. In this work, you can start a battle seamlessly on the field.

In this title, the battle can be initiated seamlessly on the field. The player can attack with the 0 button, evade with the X button, and perform a powerful charge attack with the R2 button, just like a 3D action battle.

You can also avoid battles by disabling targeting. If you don't want to fight, you can choose to move forward without taking on the enemy.

↑In field battles, you fight using a combination of attack and evasion. However, there are some strong enemies who stun Van and his team with powerful attacks and bring the battle to a command battle!

On the other hand, for those who are not good at action battles, pressing the □ button switches to the traditional command battle (AT battle).

↑When you shift to Command Battle, you will enter a turn-based battle with enemies within a certain range.

During command battles, there are "magic arts" and special character-specific "war techniques" (craft). You can also choose from a variety of actions, such as the special "S Craft" that is activated by consuming a large amount of CP Gauge.

In addition, an additional element unique to this title, "shards" are added to attacks when shifting to command battles, allowing for more strategic combat.

Stun the enemy with ↑charge attack, etc., before entering command battle, allowing for a preemptive attack!

Other important factors in command battles are character positioning and shard boosting.

If your friends are nearby when you act, you can generate linkages that enhance the effectiveness of additional attacks, arts, and crafts. Some crafts are also more effective when activated at the flank or rear of the enemy.

This is another tactical element that has not been seen in the previous "Locus" series.

When the ↑linkage is activated, a glowing circle appears around the corresponding character.

When the ↑Coordination is activated, a cut-in is inserted to liven up the battle!

And Shard Boost is an action that can be activated when the S-Skill gauge that accumulates during battle reaches a certain value, allowing the character's performance to increase for a specific turn.

S-crafts cannot be used without activating the shard boost as well, so the key is to know when to use them.

↑Each time you use S-Craft, the maximum value of the S-Skill Gauge is added by one, so in the case of a long battle, you should aggressively aim to activate S-Craft!

Therefore, it is important to use field battles for class enemies that can be defeated by force, and command battles for enemies that cannot be beaten without using a variety of commands.

↑Crafting can develop the battle to your advantage.

↑You should strike a strong blow to the enemy with S craft!

You want to proceed with crisp action, but it is quite thrilling to play the game when you are fighting an enemy with a subtle rank of ...... whether you can win with this or not. This is a game experience that will make your hands sweat, something that has not been seen in the previous "Kiseki" series.

↑In boss battles, you are forced into command battles. Take your time to strategize your actions!

Tactical orbament "Xipha" makes battles more strategic

The tactical orbament "Xipha" is indispensable in battle. The device, about the size of a foldable cell phone, contains a number of customizable elements that can be used to your advantage in battle.

↑In a sense, the "Xipha" is the heart of this work's combat. Understanding this system will enable you to develop the battle to your advantage!

First, the "Hollow Core," a quartz equipped with support AI (crystals that can be incorporated into the conductor to produce a variety of effects), is set. The Hollow Core has an effect on the effects of Arts and the actions of the player in battle.

The Hollow Core "mare" incorporated into ↑Van's "Xipha" manifests in the real world under certain conditions. It is an existence shrouded in much mystery.

Next, by setting the "Arts Driver," the user can use arts. There are various types of Arts Drivers, so set them to each character while considering the types of arts that can be used.

As the level of the ↑Hollow Core increases, the performance of the Arts Driver is brought out, and the number of usable arts increases!

Then, by setting Quartz on the line extending from the Hollow Core, you can give your character a special effect called "Shard Skill" that is activated during battle.

Various shard skills are set for ↑quartz. Combine them well to customize your character's performance!

Character characteristics change considerably with this "Xipha" customization. With tactical orbments in the conventional "Locus" series, the available arts, status, and additional effects when attacking are changed. In actual combat, the system had a high element of luck, as the player had to fight while hoping for a "collapse" that would be triggered with a certain probability.

Setting an arts driver on ↑"Xipha" enables powerful arts to be activated!

However, in this work, the element of "luck" has been reduced considerably, and it can be said that the pre-set "Xipha" settings occupy a very important position. This is a bold change of direction in that it requires less uncertainty and more logical customization.

It is indeed the latest tactical orbment of the 6th generation.

This time it's also a transforming hero!

In the past "Kiseki" series, giant robots called "Kishin" appeared. In the "Sen no Kiseki" series, the heroes sometimes rode on the "Kishin" and fought powerful robot battles.

In the "Trails of Revenge" series, the heroes sometimes rode in on their kigami and engaged in powerful robot battles.

↑When in a pinch, he transforms into Grendel! What is the source of his power?

In the story, Van is cornered by a powerful enemy, and at the behest of Mea, the Hollow Core embedded in his Xipha, he transforms into Grendel, a demon that wields tremendous annihilation power.

↑Mea" asks him, "Wear the nightmare? Van accepts the invitation and transforms into Grendel!

His fighting power is overwhelming, and if he were to fight normally, he would almost never lose in the early stages of the battle.

However, after the battle, Van's body seems to gradually erode. ......

It may be said that it is the fate of a transformed hero to lose something in exchange for his power.

↑Grendel's fighting style is to select multiple attacks at once and kick the enemy's ass with a series of attacks!

While being numbed by Grendel's coolness and strength, ...... also feels a twinge of uneasiness waiting for him after the battle. That is one of the charms of "Trails of the Reign".

Let's enjoy the first chapter for free!

I have explained the fun of "Rei no Kiseki" at length so far, but I think there are many people who think, "But I won't know if it's really fun until I actually play it.

Here is some good news for those people! Currently, a free demo version of the game is available on the PlayStation Store, which allows you to play the first chapter of the game.

Even though it is a demo version, you can enjoy it for a full 10 hours, which is a great deal.

And after the second chapter, fascinating characters, towns, and stories await the player.

↑upThe second chapter takes place in a city with an influx of Easterner culture. Here, too, the dark struggles of outlaws are being waged beneath the surface.

↑The thief, Grimcatz, has been causing a stir in Calvard recently. Her true identity is an unexpected person!

↑Aaron, an immensely popular stage actor and the leader of the Eastern Quarter, is the leader of a group of hot-blooded youths. He, too, has come to work with Van.

Naturally, the data from the demo version can be carried over to the full version, so why not take this opportunity to enjoy the "Kiseki" series and JRPGs once again?