If you’ve been waiting because you’re not a console fan, you’ll be happy to know that the plucky JRPG The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is officially out on Steam, GOG, and the Humble Store. Our own review of the PC version is forthcoming! This one’s been a labor of love as PC players and modders worked with XSEED to make the port a reality. 50% new English VO was added as well. Check it out!
About The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
XSEED Games, the independent-minded console publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., today announced that The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel,the start of a new story arc in developer Nihon Falcom’s acclaimed series of role-playing games, is now available on Windows PC via Steam, GOG.com, and the Humble Store by Humble Bundle with a launch week discount of 10% off the regular price of $39.99, €39.99, and £29.99. To further celebrate the occasion, a variety of DLC packs to help players get a head-start containing bonus sepith, accessories, monster ingredients, healing items, and Zeram powders and capsules will be free for the first 2 weeks after launch. Originally released in North America to wide acclaim in 2015 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel makes its debut on Windows PC with visual enhancements and over 5,000 new lines of English voiceover dialogue (approximately a 50% increase).
“On behalf of our talented team at XSEED Games, I’m pleased to introduce another remarkable Nihon Falcom JRPG to PC gamers,” said Ken Berry, Executive Vice President at Marvelous USA. “Fans will be happy to know that we’re hard at work to bring more Japanese gems to PC, including Trails of Cold Steel II. In addition, it’s been a pleasure to work with an esteemed member of the PC community on this title to ensure a top quality experience.”
“When XSEED approached me about contributing to their in-progress The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel port, I was immediately excited about the prospect,” said Peter “Durante” Thoman. “The Trails in the Sky series features some of my favorite JRPGs on PC, so I looked forward to making this later game in the franchise the best it can be on PC.”
Popular PC community modder Peter “Durante” Thoman has helped optimize the game for its PC release, and fans can read what kind of technical hurdles he encountered in the third and final of his multiple guest blog posts detailing this game’s journey on XSEED’s blog at http://xseedgames.tumblr.com/.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel builds on Nihon Falcom’s beloved Trails franchise, improving on the series’ formula while delivering an expertly told, standalone narrative that both series fans and newcomers alike will enjoy. Taking place on the same continent as fan-favorite Trails in the Sky, Trails of Cold Steel further explores Erebonia and gives players a chance to delve deep into the inner political conflicts of this oft-mentioned and powerful empire. Players take on the role of elite military students at a time of great turmoil, who enjoy school life as they bond with fellow students to earn new abilities in battle, and then utilize those abilities via tactical turn-based combat. In between skirmishes, players can upgrade their party members with the “ARCUS” system – a streamlined version of the classic “Orbment” magic system from previous titles – allowing for greater access to abilities and quicker customization.
