The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III is a Japanese role-playing game from Nihon Falcom. Rean Schwarzer returns as an instructor to the Thors Military Academy and takes charge of the new Class VII. Exploration and long dialogue sections alternate with turn-based battles. The third part continues the story of the Erebonian Empire and its political tensions.

The role-playing game was released in Japan for PS4 on Sep 28, 2017. The European PlayStation 4 version followed on Oct 22, 2019. The PC version was released on Mar 23, 2020, and the Nintendo Switch version on Jun 30, 2020. The standalone PS5 version has been available in Europe since Feb 16, 2024. The releases in Japan and Europe are therefore sometimes several years apart.

Trails of Cold Steel III was released natively for PC, PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. The PC version offers graphics options for different machines. The Switch also allows mobile play, while the PS5 has a standalone version with its own release date. The PS5 release is not the same as the PS4 version via backward compatibility. In terms of content, all versions tell Rean's story as instructor of the new Class VII.

The adventure combines exploring towns and areas with turn-based party battles. Between missions, Rean talks with his class and other residents of Erebonia. In battles, you can choose from normal attacks, spells and special abilities. The order of actions, the characters' equipment and enemy weaknesses determine how well a party controls a fight.

For Trails of Cold Steel III, costumes and consumable items are mainly offered as additional content. They expand the look and equipment of the characters. The full main campaign is already included in the base game. When buying extra packs, the native platform and the specific edition are crucial, because PS4 and PS5 versions are different products.

The PC version requires at least 8 GB RAM and 25 GB of free storage space. Steam lists an Intel Core i3-2100 and a GeForce GTX 650 Ti as minimum specs. 16 GB RAM and a Radeon R7 370 are recommended. The historical manufacturer specs list older Windows versions. The current Steam client also has its own OS requirements.

Rean Schwarzer teaches at a branch of the Thors Military Academy. After his experiences in the earlier games, he must take on responsibility for a new class as an instructor. At the same time, political conflicts continue to play out in the Erebonian Empire. Familiar companions return, while new students experience the events from a different perspective. Many personal and political relationships tie directly into the first two parts.

The new Class VII accompanies Rean on training and missions outside the academy. Juna Crawford, Kurt Vander and Altina Orion are among the students. Their different experiences and backgrounds shape the conversations. Over the course of school life and field missions, the group grows closer together. Personal relationships are a major part of the story and give the following battles a narrative context.

Characters fight in turns using normal attacks, Arts and Crafts. Crafts use character abilities and consume CP, while Arts use magical effects. The choice of action also depends on the enemies and the party's situation. A well-coordinated combination is often more useful than a single particularly strong attack. Different characters complement each other through their different abilities.

Brave Orders give the party temporary boosts without using up a normal turn. The orders cost Brave Points and can, for example, improve defense or attack. At the same time, each enemy has a Break gauge. Certain attacks reduce it significantly. A broken enemy is temporarily vulnerable. Players who combine both systems skilfully create chances for further party actions.

Besides the usual battles, there are fights with large war machines. Reans Valimar and other Panzer Soldats use their own combat system. Players must assess the stance of their enemies, target vulnerable body parts and block counterattacks in time. As a result, these encounters call for different decisions than the usual Class VII battles.

The new Class VII visits regions of Erebonia and meets residents, allies and political opponents there. Lessons and time at the academy alternate with field missions. Conversations provide additional information about the characters' backstories and the situation in the empire. Anyone who takes time for side characters experiences more of the world than by following only the main missions.

The PC version offers English and Japanese voice acting. According to Steam, English, French and Japanese on-screen text is available. The extensive dialogue is an important part of the role-playing game. Before buying a console version, it is worth checking that version's own language options, as supported languages can differ by platform.