Miraculously, I did not take another years-long break after finishing Trails in the Sky SC to start the next game, so it’s time to talk about Trails in the Sky the 3rd.
Trails in the Sky the 3rd is a bit of an unusual game in that it’s technically the third game of a trilogy, but the second game already wrapped up the main story of the arc.
So instead of focusing on another world-shaking story, this game does two things: lay the groundwork for future stories and provide a deeper look at some of the characters, with a more character-driven story.
It follows a different main protagonist, and even the gameplay structure is different. The characters are transported to an unusual realm made up of different planes they have to fight through. There are no towns, although there is a hub area where you can talk to your increasingly-large group of available party members. That sets up a very different gameplay loop, although the gameplay itself is pretty much the same as in previous games.
There are also doors scattered throughout the planes that show memories, usually related to a specific character. These doors make up the bulk of the storytelling, which is one of the reasons why it feels so character-driven. Everyone is given a chance to shine, and some of these memories even have playable segments.
It also got a lot heavier than I expected, both in terms of the main story and the doors (okay, one door, and if you’ve played, you know which one I mean).
While I was a little disappointed that the main plot was more focused on the characters’ personal stories than on advancing the larger plot, it still had enough intrigue and emotional moments for me to enjoy it. It’s almost what I’d call a side story, but at the same time, it feels significant enough that I’d never recommend skipping it.
Now, when it comes to setting things up for future games, several parts left me really intrigued and excited to see what will happen later in the series.
Click for Trails in the Sky the 3rd spoilers
Olivier’s door especially stands out to me in that regard. His confrontation with Osborne and everything being set up there was one of the best parts of the game. Olivier was already one of my favorite characters, and that elevated him even further. (At one point I actually said to myself, “Is Olivier secretly the coolest character in Trails?” haha!)
I know Cold Steel is set in Erebonia, so I’m assuming that’s when I’ll get to see more of this play out.
Meanwhile, the Star Door with Campanella left me so curious about seeing more of Ouroboros.
The game took me about 60 hours, so it felt almost short compared to the 90+ hours I spent with SC. Still quite a sizable game, though, and the prevalence of the doors means it’s still story-heavy despite its structure initially making me think it would have more of a gameplay focus.
Trails in the Sky the 3rd might be different, but it’s still quite good and I’m glad I played it. Next up will be the start of the Crossbell arc with Trails from Zero… although I’ll probably get some other games out of my backlog first!
We’ve been waiting for the Tales remaster announcement planned for this summer, and it looks like it will probably be Tales of Xillia after all.
