Reunion for the first time in 20 years.
Featuring characters from Nihon Falcom’s Sora no Kiseki trilogy, Zero to Soukyuu no Kiseki, and Sen no Kiseki series four, Kiseki e no Reverie is an incredible turn-based RPG spanning almost two decades. Serves as a dreamy bookend for Considering all the history and familiar faces that come down to Trails into Reverie, it’s worth stressing that you’re likely to enjoy more depending on how well you beat the aforementioned titles. Reverie represents a great send-off for its lovably wide-ranging cast. His unique use of a three-pronged narrative makes up for the lack of side quests, but the regularly occurring performance issues cannot be ignored, making the Switch version a clear compromise.
The story takes place after the events of Cold Steel IV and begins with the liberation of Crossbell, home of protagonist Lloyd Bannings and his Special Support Section teammates. As the people of Crossbell seek to celebrate their independence, former Governor Rufus Albarea marches with an army and declares himself Supreme Leader, intent on uniting the entire world under his and Crossbell’s rule. .
What makes Trails into Reverie different from its predecessor is that you can play from the perspective of three separate protagonists and switch between them more or less at will. In some cases, they are forced to alternate between Rean Schwarzer, Lloyd, and a masked figure known only as “C”. Seeing the same plot unfold from a different perspective adds a welcome flavor to the story, and although there are some pacing variations, it ultimately completes a satisfying journey that fans of the series will love. I found the run time to be a little short compared to many of the previous games, but luckily there’s plenty of extra content to play with.
Each protagonist has a dark mirror, which takes them to a place called the Hall of Dreams, a multi-level dungeon where most of the additional content is housed. Inside the dungeon, you can collect orbs from defeated enemies and exchange them for mini-games, special cutscenes, in-game items, and even new characters to aid in combat. Dungeon floors can also be rearranged to offer new challenges. In addition to the missions that accompany your time in the Corridor, you can also earn Shards that can be redeemed as rewards inside and outside the Dream Corridor by completing the main story. Trial Keys are available within dungeons and allow a set group of characters to take on challenging matches that greatly enhance their abilities. Overall, there are plenty of distractions here, but you can also finish the game without participating in all that the Corridor has to offer.
Combat and presentation from four Trails of Cold Steel titles have been adapted into Trails into Reverie, and welcome English after two recent Crossbell games launched on Switch without English. Many voices have been added. Considering the large cast with over 50 playable his characters, it was really nice to hear the huge script with English voices. One of his small additions to combat is the United Front mechanic. This allows him to take both the current party and backup his members for a large attack that deals damage to enemies and provides various buffs. Otherwise, this top-of-the-line combat system is essentially (and fortunately) unchanged and arguably unbroken.
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An aspect of Trails into Reverie that really stands out is how it rewards those who have been with the series from the beginning. Being able to meet a Bracer from the Kingdom of Liberl from Trails in the Sky, his Class VII classmates from Thors Military Academy from Cold Steel, and the many charming people in and around Crossbell is like a high school reunion. It will be an experience like In less than an hour, without an old friend showing up to say hello or joining the ever-growing roster of heroes, he is joined by members of various groups and set off to complete separate missions, giving the player a new look. It gives you the opportunity to organize your party. And master their unique Craft and S-Craft moves.
It’s no secret that the Nintendo Switch is starting to show its age, and after reviewing Cold Steel III, VI, and Trails from Zero on this platform, Trails into Reverie surpasses them all when it comes to performance issues. can be safely said. The frequent loading screens during cutscenes sometimes last longer than the scenes themselves, so they really hinder the enjoyment of the story, especially in the final hours of the game. In populated outdoor spaces like the capital city of Heimdall, the frame rate drops significantly, so there is essentially no difference in how characters behave between normal mode and the switchable “fast mode”. When exploration of these urban spaces (actually areas filled with NPCs and enemies) is hampered by his Switch hardware, you can’t help but crave more powerful technology. Note, however, that these issues are more pronounced in handheld mode compared to docked mode.
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It may not be my favorite trajectory game, but Reverie is still a great ending to the adventures of Rean, Lloyd, and the rest of their companions and confidants. Faux-replacement of side quests with side stories found in the Corridors of Dreams doesn’t give you the same fulfillment, but there’s no denying that there’s a huge amount to do within this central hub area. In one area of the continent he spends a few hours with one group and then moves on to another group to see the progress of the mission is also very enjoyable. The stopping points where the game forces you to choose another protagonist’s journey are natural and work well, and the combat and music are as engaging as ever. RPG fans who haven’t played a Trails game should find the time to fix that obvious oversight, and know that Trails into Reverie offers a captivating reunion-like experience. I have. Even if he needs to complete over 40 hours of his collection of RPGs to get there.