The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky has a much lower Metacritic rating than you’d expect. Trails in the Sky is best known for launching the Trails arm of The Legend of Heroes series, a multi-game, decades-spanning epic of an RPG. Although it was first released in 2004 as a PC exclusive, and only in Japan, it came to the West some seven years later, as a PSP game. Upon its release in the US, it certainly felt like a hit. Fan reactions were almost universally positive when it came to the characters, setting, and gameplay of Trails.

But apparently, that wasn’t the case. Trails in the Sky‘s critical ratings were (and still are) so low, I couldn’t believe my eyes – looking back on it today, it’s a classic, and had such a powerful influence on a continuously successful series. So what really happened here? Why did Trails in the Sky get such a lukewarm reception when it was first released, and how have things changed for the defining game and the series since?

Not Terrible, But Not Great, Either

For the PSP version, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky has a Metacritic score of just 79, aggregated from 22 critic reviews. That’s not absolutely terrible – lots of great games barely breach 80, and 79 still lands on the “Generally Favorable” end of Metacritic’s consensus scale. That said, considering how big the series has gotten since then, 79 seems shockingly low.

Trails in the Sky isn’t a perfect game by any means, but I suspect the issue has more to do with technical bugs in its release format. Trails wasn’t originally intended to be a PSP game, and it can run pretty slowly on the handheld console – post-battle loading screens are ubiquitous, and frequently get annoying. The PC version is more highly rated, with an 85 on Metacritic, which feels a lot more appropriate for such a defining game.

Besides that, though, Trails does have its obvious inherent flaws. Many reviewers critiqued it for cleaving too closely to classic RPG tropes. Its side characters prioritize quantity over quality, with many of them having relatively shallow and simple story arcs. Its main story, too, moves a little slowly at times, and isn’t as epic or high-stakes as other RPGs – it’s a lot smaller in scale, but as a result, a lot more personal.

This Iconic RPG Deserves More Respect From Reviews

Why Trails In The Sky Is A Classic

It’s entirely possible I’m looking at this through rose-colored glasses. It’s been a while since I played the original Trails in the Sky, and its sequels, which are fresher in my memory, do go a long way in correcting its flaws (and are much more highly rated as a result). That said, there is a lot to love about Trails in the Sky on its own merits.

For me, it’s the tactical battle system. It’s not the deepest in the world, but it’s fun, and it feels interesting and customizable throughout the entire game. By 2011, most RPGs had abandoned similar systems in favor of action combat and turn-based systems disguised as real-time. We’ve come back around on turn-based combat now, but at the time, it felt like a refreshing reversal of a frustrating trend.

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Other players really enjoy the story and characters. Again, it’s not always the biggest or deepest plot, but its focus on the development of its two main characters is part of what makes it unique. Their dynamic is consistently entertaining, and the two of them are likable throughout. It’s hard not to get drawn into the story on the strength of its characters alone.

Technical Issues Aside, Trails In The Sky Deserves Better

The Remake May Be Able To Fix That

As much as I expected the original Trails would’ve performed better with critics, it doesn’t really matter. The series has more than redeemed itself in the long run, and critical reviews for a 20-year-old game now hailed as a classic don’t really have any long-term impact. That said, I’d love to see Trails in the Sky redeem its unusually low Metacritic score, and its upcoming remake may give it a chance to do so.

Called Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter, the remake is due for release on September 15 of this year. It has a whole new visual style, updated voice acting, and two gameplay modes: a traditional turn-based version, and a reimagined action combat version. If it recaptures what worked about the original The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, it could give this classic a chance to redeem itself.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

Systems

Released

June 24, 2004

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Animated Blood, Drug Reference, Fantasy Violence, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol

Developer(s)

Nihon Falcom

Publisher(s)

Nihon Falcom, XSEED Games, Ghostlight

Engine

Falcom

Franchise

Trails