Two years later and North American fans of the Trails series will finall be able to get their hands on the final entry of the Cold Steel tetralogy. As most JRPG fans know, the Trails games are but a small branch of the larger The Legend of Heroes franchise, whose roots go all the way back to the days of Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. Starting with 2011's The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, there have been 9 installments in the Trails sub branch, with the 4-part Cold Steel arc kicking off in 2015.
The arc came to an end in 2018 with the release of Trails of Cold Steel IV, however it's been a two year wait for the game to make its way to the U.S. As we approach the finale's October 27th release date, Nihon Falcom and NIS America have released a new English-language trailer which you can check out below.
For the big finale, characters from past Cold Steel and earlier Trails installments are set to return including Estelle & Joshua from Trails in the Sky, nd Lloyd & Elie from the Crossbell duology. With such a large cast of characters, veteran Trails players are adamantly suggesting that newcomers start with the first Cold Steel game instead of jumping in with Part IV.
Those who pre-order will have the option of snagging a special Frontline Edition version of the game that comes with The Black Records book and Echoes of Erebonia soundtrack. The base version of the game retails for $39.99 while the Frontline Edition will sell for $59.99.
The Nintendo Switch and PC ports of the game are without an exact release date but are currently planned to become available Spring 2021.
The Erebonian Empire is on the brink of all out war! Taking place shortly after the ending of Trails of Cold Steel III, the heroes of Class VII find themselves against the full force of the Empire in an attempt to stop its path of total domination. Further, the hero of the Erebonian Civil War and Class VII's instructor, Rean Schwarzer, has gone missing. Now, the students of Class VII, old and new, must unite with heroes from all over the continent to create the only chance the world has to be spared from total destruction.
-The Ultimate Class Reunion – Boasting the largest roster in series history, heroes from all over seek to join the cause! The heroes of Class VII unite with Crossbell's Special Support Section and even the heroes of Liberl.
-Battle Most Refined – New and returning systems join the already polished combat of The Legend of Heroes series, including the ability to summon giant mechs to the field for devastating attacks, engage in Auto Battle for more expedient combat, and utilize Lost Arts, the most powerful Orbal magic capable of turning the tide of battle.
-Pursuits of the War Weary – In between epic battles, catch a breather with a number of mini-games including returning favorites like Vantage Master, and fishing and puzzle games, as well as all-new pursuits like Poker, Blackjack, and the Horror Coaster.