The Legend of Heroes series is gaining more traction in the west than ever before, thanks to NIS America localizing all previous Japan-only titles by next year, and soon eager fans will be able to explore most, if not all, of what the series has to offer on their preferred platform. But with the 14 games in the series so far and their intertwining narratives, it can be hard to figure out where to start.
Most of the events in the series’ timeline happen across the span of eight years according to the in-game Septian calendar, and these events happen within four story arcs — or four large politically tense territories — in the fictional continent of Zemuria: Erebonia, Calvard, Librel and Crossbell each with its own history, politics, domestic issues and character conflicts that have reverberating consequences across all series entries.
Now, you may think in-world chronological order makes most sense, but actually it’s a little more complicated than that, and we suggest approaching the series a little differently. Like many lengthy series, while it’s optimal to play all the arcs in the order below, not everyone has the time, so you can also treat the arcs as self-contained stories that can be played independently of the rest of the series. This play order guide is semi-chronological, and when we break chronology we try to explain our reasoning as best we can.
Erebonia arc (1204-1207 Septian Calendar)
Chronologically the third story arc in the series, this covers the story of the Erebonian kingdom, one of two main superpowers of Zemuria (the second being the Calvard republic). Across the span of these five games, players will tackle many topics and themes mainly centered around class stratification and military expansionism in a setting that closely parallels our real-world politics.
Players will get acquainted with Class VII -a special academy class composed of handpicked students from various sociopolitical backgrounds and perspectives, and aimed at nurturing a new generation free from hatred and misconceptions towards other nations and societies. The story is digestible, and the 3D graphics utilized here (as opposed to 2D sprites in previous arcs will suit new players who are looking for a somewhat modern experience to start with.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – 2013
Available on: PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch
From a geopolitical standpoint, this can be considered the most appropriate entry point for the series, as the Empire of Erbonia shares borders with every other region, kingdom, or province featured in every other entry. Through the eyes of Class VII, and protagonist Rean Schwarzer, players will have to resolve a civil war between different Erebonian factions, and also learn about the affairs of all the surrounding countries during their school circular, easing the barrier of entry into other entries and story arcs.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II – 2014
Available on: PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch
Only one month after your school year is over in Cold Steel I, Rean Schwarzer and Class VII will scatter as they get even more involved in the war, not only inside Erebonia but with the neighboring country Crossbell. Rean’s trip throughout Erebonia in search of his classmates will also shed light on one of Trails’ renowned strengths, the ever-evolving narratives and lives of the non-playable characters. And combined with the depth and scope of Erbonia, it becomes unmatched by overall JRPG standards. The story of this game and the Crossbell games are heavily interwoven, with Erebonia deciding to invade Crossbell after the civil war, so it is better to understand the causes of this war first in Cold Steel, then reflect on its results in Crossbell.
Crossbell Arc (1204-1206 Septian Calender)
The Crossbell arc — chronologically the second arc — is similar to the previous arc in reflecting a real-life political struggle, this time about the affairs of an autonomous buffer state that lies geographically between two hostile great powers (Calvard and Erebonia). Even though the duology has a standalone story, it is still heavily intertwined with the first two Cold Steel games, and it is recommended to know the story of the protagonist Lloyd Bannings and his special police squad (The equivalent of Class VII) at this point, since their actions will bring tangible change to the social landscape of the state and the relationship between Erebonia and Crossbell as a whole, and will influence the rest of the Cold Steel games in major ways.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero – 2010
Available on: PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch
Just like the first Coldsteel, Trails from Zero is focused a lot on Crossbell’s domestic situation, and mainly its internal division and the criminal underworld. Because of Crossbell’s situation as a buffer state landlocked between Erbonia and Calvard, the citizens have resigned themselves to a life in which they are unable to decide their future on their own, and become immersed instead in debauchery and corruption. Lloyd and his Special Support Section will have to tackle the sources of that resignation and think actively about how they could change the country for the better. Along the way, they will discover some secret schemes related to a hidden cult that wants to overthrow the Zemurian continent’s belief in their fictional god Aidios, so this game in particular tackles the religious aspect of the Trails series more than other entries.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure – 2011
Available on: for PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch (March 2023)
The second and final game in the Crossbell duology, and a very important step up in the overall narrative of the series. A rollercoaster of twists will happen, most of which were hinted at in Cold Steel II, and eventually, it will end up with Crossbell’s political future becoming closely aligned with the Erebonian Empire after Rean and his classmates have resolved the Civil war in the latter. This will lead the developments of the upcoming games to involve both Rean and Lloyd at the same time, as they both stand at the center of the Zemurian war theater.
‘Back To Erebonia’ Arc
Even though it’s a numbered title, Trails of Cold Steel III can still be considered a new beginning for Rean Schwarzer, and the side trip to the Crossbell arc was important to establish the scope of the challenges Rean is about to face in his imminent future.
With his new roles as a teacher of a new Class VII and as the Hero of Erebonia’s civil war, the challenges facing Rean will be far more complex and formidable, and his mission to protect both Erebonia and Crossbell will involve working with other important figures from all across the land – including those we met in Crossbell – to help carve a new future for everyone, in addition to revealing the mysteries surrounding his own personal past.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III – 2017
Available on: PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch
Class VII — now called the Old Class VII — are now graduated, each of them having taken various positions in society to carry on what they have learned and try to change the empire from within for the better. All except Rean, who stays behind as an instructor to train a new group of Class VII students. Among the new students is Juna Crawford, a young girl of Crossbellan nationality, and the new protagonist. Seeing the events from Juna’s eyes will reflect the new political tension between Crossbell and Erebonia after they become two connected major players in the events to come.
This entry is perfect to squeeze in right after the Crossbell Arc, as all the groundwork for the upcoming developments has been set, and from here on out, story twists related to the main villain organization Ouroboros will take the spotlight, in addition to how Rean’s past is directly involved with them. Moreover, the story here happens one year after a certain event called the Northern War, which is supposed to be the upcoming topic of the newly announced anime: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV – 2018
Available on: PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch
More of a sequel to Cold Steel III rather than an epic all-encompassing finale for the Cold Steel Arc. Set just two months after the cliffhanger ending of III, it concludes every plot thread regarding Erebonia and its history. At the forefront will be Rean and the new Class VII, but they will also be joined by many other companions and allies from other countries and nations, such as Crossbell and Liberal, to try to stop a nefarious plan that has been in preparation since the start of the Erebonia arc. The sky cameos will also fuel more interest in what the Trails in the Sky trilogy has to offer.
Liberl arc (1202-1203 Septian Calendar)
The first chronological arc story-wise. Just like the Crossbell Duology, Trails in the Sky SC and FC can both be considered a complete story at least for the main characters Joshua and Estelle, who should have had a dominating presence in Cold Steel 4, and these two games will be enough to grasp the context surrounding them and their various cameo appearances across the series. They tell the story of the Liberal Kingdom south of Zemuria, and the Journey of Joshua and Estelle to become young Bracers, something akin to NGO officers for protecting civilians.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC – 2004
Available on: PC, and PSP
A part of what makes this game hard to recommend is its outdated design compared to the previous entries, which might be a bit appalling for players who were used to the 3D models of Cold Steel, or the rework that the modern Crossbell games have received. Not saying this entry isn’t essential, but the minimal scope of the events, focusing entirely on exploring Liberal’s five regions and the main duo’s dynamics, makes this entry somewhat optional for those who want to keep up with the current events in the series as fast as possible.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC – 2006
Available on: PC, and PSP
This chapter finalizes the exposition of Liberl and the circumstances surrounding Joshua and Estelle, the characters associated with them, and their encounters with members of the Villain organization Ouroboros. The magnitude of this story’s influence is smaller compared to Crossbell’s political repercussions, and the main story of the Cold Steel arc could stand on its own without prior knowledge of the Liberl arc, but many emotional reunions and character-specific twists in the Cold Steel finale won’t bring you to tears unless you have prior knowledge of the events in Sky FC and SC. On their own though, the two games are hidden gems that are worth playing even for those who don’t intend to be invested in the series on the long run.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd – 2007
Available on: PC, and PSP
A standalone entry with a new protagonist, Kevin Graham, but it might be the only entry that allows players to take a closer look at the villain organization Ouroboros’ side of things. That is because Kevin is affiliated with an organization called the Septian Chruch, which directly opposes Ouroboros. It contains foreshadowing to later entries, and some clarifications on points that will be introduced in Crossbell and Erebonia arcs, but nothing that cannot be inferred from already present information in other entries.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie – 2020
Available on: PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch (Q3 2023 – currently Japan-only)
This entry, occurring five months after the end of Cold Steel IV, is the true epilogue to the Crossbell and Erbonia Arcs, and it also foreshadows some events that will happen in the upcoming Kuro no Kiseki, through 3 separate storylines for Lloyd Bannings, Rean Schwarzer and a new mysterious character named C.
The story mainly revolves around defeating another major recurring villain during the Erebonia arc, and ending the threats that have propagated from Ouroboros’ vile plan once and for all. Players who have been with Lloyd and Rean from the beginning can bid them farewell in Reverie, for this entry is the conclusion to the first half of the overall Trails story.
Calvard Arc (1208 – 1209 Septian Calender)
The Kuro no Kiseki games are considered the official start of the second half of the overall Trails story. They take place in the Calvard Republic, a region that has undergone a revolution on a previous monarchy system, is always at odds with Erebonia, and is mainly concerned with acquiring military and economic strength equal to that of Erebonia.
The main protagonist here is Van Arkride, a self-employed odd jobs officer at the Arkride Solutions Office, and is someone who is already aware of what occurs behind the scenes, all the abnormal activities, and world superpowers. Kuro no Kiseki games are the first to use an action-like gameplay style similar to Nihon Falcom’s Ys series and Tokyo Xanadu, which transitions between action phases and turn-based phases in a manner close to the one utilized in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki – 2021
Localization not announced. Currently available in Japanese only for PS4, PC.
The first game revolves entirely around Van’s bracer-like side adventures that will lead him gradually to uncover secrets behind Calvard’s previous fallen monarchy, and bring out another struggle with a mythical inner demon from his past. This inner struggle is reflected in the alignment system, a similar system to Shin Megami Tensei in which your story choices and side quests will affect some story chapters and elements, your involvement with certain antagonistic groups, in addition to the type of optional bosses you can fight in the final dungeon.
The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II – 2022
Localization not announced. Currently available in Japanese only for PS4, PC.
Kuro no Kiseki II is another separate adventure that has Van investigating a horrible massacre. Along the way, he is tasked by his ally Agnès Claudel in recovering devices known as Oct-Genesis. It is said that these devices are responsible for most of the supernatural occurrences in the series, including turning people into demons or pseudo-immortals, and other worldwide phenomena., and the world is supposed to end unless all of them are recovered before the Septian year 1210, so this is the last year when they could prevent such a fate from occurring.
(Optional) The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails
Available on: PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch (2023 – currently Japan-only)
A spinoff that happens in a different timeline from the main entries, and doesn’t reference the Trails games in any capacity. It has its own rules and world that is scattered into several islands because of a great flood.
While most of the Trails entries are political and relatively grounded, Nayuta leans more towards traditional fantasy tropes and can be considered Trails’ equivalent to Ys or other JRPGs. This is the first recommendation for those who want to try Nihon Falcom’s brand of storytelling without having to invest a lot of time and effort into their games.
