The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd

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The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd is a single player role playing game with fantasy, anime and science fiction themes. It was developed by Nihon Falcom and was released on May 3, 2017. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd" is the exciting conclusion to the Trails in the Sky trilogy. This RPG focuses on Kevin Graham, a special agent, as he uncovers a mysterious artifact and confronts his past. With new gameplay systems and a captivating story, players will experience closure to the beloved characters and their adventures.

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Single-Player

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd screenshot

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,781 reviews

story380 positive mentions

grinding60 negative mentions

The game provides deep character development and backstories for beloved characters from the previous games, particularly focusing on Kevin and Ries.
The combat system is refined and offers a greater variety of characters and strategies, making battles more engaging and challenging.
The soundtrack is exceptional, featuring memorable tracks that enhance the emotional impact of the story.

The game feels more like a dungeon crawler with repetitive gameplay and less exploration compared to the previous titles, which may disappoint some players.
The main story is less compelling and can feel disjointed, relying heavily on optional side stories (Doors) that may not engage all players.
Some side stories can be excessively long and tedious, leading to pacing issues and potential boredom during play.

story
1,602 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
73%
3%
The story of "Trails in the Sky the 3rd" serves as an epilogue to the previous games, focusing on Kevin Graham and his backstory while also providing closure for many beloved characters from the series. While the main narrative is less expansive and more linear than its predecessors, it compensates with rich character development and emotional depth, particularly through the use of "memory doors" that reveal additional lore and side stories. Overall, the game is praised for its storytelling, though some players may find the shift to a dungeon crawler format and the fragmented nature of the plot less satisfying compared to the more traditional RPG elements of the earlier titles.
- “This game is incredible and has the best combat/story moments I have experienced so far in the trilogy.”
- “Kevin’s past is central to the plot, and as the story unfolds, players gain insight into his trauma, his guilt, and the responsibilities he carries as a dominion of the Septian Church.”
- “The story is more fragmented than the linear hero’s journey of the earlier titles, and players expecting another large-scale adventure through Liberl may initially feel disoriented by the game’s chapter-based progression.”
- “The story is very weak, with essentially all progress in it happening along the borders of the game's chapters.”
- “The main story that you actually play through is basically a side story about Kevin's background with some more information about the Aureole, and all of the other character and world building is more like a passive visual novel in the Trails engine and as such I didn't really feel like I was part of the story in a meaningful way.”
- “The story is both an epilogue for the previous games and a setup for zero and cold steel.”
gameplay
370 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
69%
1%
The gameplay in "Trails in the Sky the 3rd" is a significant departure from its predecessors, focusing more on dungeon crawling and combat rather than exploration and story. While it retains familiar mechanics, it introduces new features like support characters and a more strategic combat system, which some players find enjoyable despite the linearity and repetitiveness of the dungeons. Overall, the gameplay is seen as an improvement with added depth, though opinions vary on its execution and pacing compared to the earlier titles in the series.
- “The gameplay improvements and tweaks make an already good battle system even better, which is good considering the emphasis on dungeon crawling and combat in this entry.”
- “The gameplay is also just as addictive and fun as previous entries, more so in some ways as you get a much larger party allowing for more tactical options and fun.”
- “The gameplay is significantly better, with new battle bonuses, new orbments, and 16 playable characters, making it a more engaging experience than its predecessors.”
- “While the overall gameplay retains itself from FC and SC, it does things much differently from them and honestly it's got some glaring game design issues in some places.”
- “The gameplay is still only alright, but I'll forgive it for being complex enough to keep me engaged.”
- “The gameplay loop is different from the prior games and series as a whole but is still very enjoyable, if not more so due to the refreshing change of pace.”
music
272 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
45%
1%
The music in "Trails in the Sky the 3rd" is widely praised as exceptional, with many reviewers highlighting it as the best soundtrack in the trilogy. The combination of haunting melodies, emotional character motifs, and intense battle themes enhances the game's narrative and emotional depth, making it a standout feature that resonates with players long after the game ends. Overall, the soundtrack is celebrated for its quality, variety, and ability to elevate the gaming experience, solidifying Falcom's reputation for outstanding music in their titles.
- “The soundtrack, as expected from Falcom, is exceptional—combining haunting melodies with tense battle themes and emotional character motifs that perfectly complement the game’s reflective tone.”
- “The music adds to the emotional impact of the story, and will leave you humming its memorable melodies long after the game is over.”
- “With its powerful and emotional narrative, exceptional writing, refined combat system, and outstanding soundtrack, this game is a worthy finale to one of the greatest JRPG trilogies of all time.”
- “There just isn't a lot of actual story or high-flying action in which to use music to really drive a scene forward.”
- “In addition to using music from the prequels, it has its own set of soundtracks, which can be a little bit on the mellow side compared to that found in SC.”
- “The music in this game is quite okay.”
emotional
115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Trails in the Sky the 3rd" is profoundly impactful, with players highlighting its ability to evoke deep feelings through character development, heartfelt interactions, and a poignant overarching narrative. The game explores themes of trauma and personal growth, often leading to moments of genuine heartbreak and catharsis, particularly through its optional "memory doors" that reveal intimate character backstories. The exceptional soundtrack further amplifies these emotional moments, making the game a memorable and touching conclusion to the trilogy.
- “From the moment Kevin and his partner Ries are drawn into the surreal dimension known as Phantasma, it becomes clear that this entry is less about physical travel and more about confronting the emotional and spiritual burdens carried by the cast.”
- “The emotional moments hit like a freight train, and the ending to the game is absolutely perfect.”
- “This game made me cry uncontrollably twice, which to me is a sign of a great piece of media.”
character development
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
4%
Character development in "Trails in the Sky 3rd" is widely praised for its depth and emotional resonance, offering extensive backstories and growth for both returning and new characters. While the game may not advance the main plot significantly, it compensates with rich character arcs and poignant storytelling that fans of the series find compelling. Many reviewers highlight the unique storytelling approach through optional "doors" that reveal character memories and insights, making it a must-play for those invested in the series' lore and character dynamics.
- “Some of it will feel silly and pointless, but the moments of character development and genuinely heartfelt, dark, and surprising scenes make this game worth playing.”
- “The main gripe many fans have with this game is that the world and NPCs whose stories have been built over the past two games are not found here, but instead, you get an incredible amount of character development that really fleshes this cast out and makes them the most memorable cast of any JRPG.”
- “The character development given to the main characters is amazing, but I'm not sure if we needed an entire game just for that.”
- “It doesn't move the overall story forward by much, but instead offers more character development in exchange.”
- “Some parts of the character development are locked behind the unique additions of 'moon & star doors' as optionals, instead of being integrated mostly in the main story.”
- “I feel like the dialogues and character developments are a bit inferior to the 1st and 2nd.”
grinding
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The reviews highlight a mixed experience with grinding in the game, with some players finding it tedious and time-consuming, particularly due to the large number of characters that require leveling and gear management. However, many also appreciate the inclusion of features like a fast-forward button and catch-up mechanics that help alleviate the grind, making it less burdensome than in previous titles. Overall, while grinding is present, its impact varies, with some players finding it manageable and others deeming it a significant pacing issue.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It's just tedious.”
- “The combat is still fun and everything, but the story doesn't pull you in like the first two games, and the side quests and backstory missions for the characters are insanely long, tedious, and very boring.”
- “Only the 4 members in your current party gain experience, and when you have such an enormous cast to choose from, and the game throws several sections where you need to make use of 8, 12, even 16 members at once, the grind rears its ugly head again and you spend hours wastefully grinding all these characters up for whatever the next chapter's challenge is.”
graphics
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
75%
5%
The game's graphics are generally considered dated, with many reviewers noting that they show their age compared to modern titles. However, the simple yet expressive art style, along with some slight improvements and new graphical effects, still manages to convey warmth and personality, making it appealing to fans of old-school aesthetics. While some players may find the visuals lacking, others appreciate the charm and depth of the artwork, particularly in character design and world-building.
- “Visually and technically, the game shows its age, but the PC version runs smoothly, and the simple but expressive art style still carries warmth and personality.”
- “Great art style and world building, detailed story, creative magic and combat system.”
- “Don't let the dated graphics or chibi art style fool you: this game goes places with its characters and treads waters that many do not.”
- “The game is clearly dated, especially with its graphics alongside its lack of voice overs, and can easily be a turn-off for most.”
- “This game's graphics did not age well throughout the years.”
- “Graphics and camera are still janky, and there is often too much dialogue.”
humor
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
5%
4%
The humor in the game is characterized by its irreverent and darkly comedic tone, blending lighthearted moments with emotional and sometimes disturbing narratives. Players appreciate the funny interactions among characters and the engaging side stories, although some feel these can disrupt the main gameplay flow. Overall, the game successfully balances humor with deeper themes, making it a memorable experience for fans of narrative-driven RPGs.
- “The game's irreverent sense of humor is still here with fun chest messages and all, but is the darkest game yet so far.”
- “Had me laughing, crying, everything.”
- “The characters are beautifully well-rounded and their interactions with each other are downright hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking.”
- “While the previous two games told the stories of liberals fighting aliens and quasi-dimensional beings with the power of orb mints, 3ird takes a different approach, focusing much more on the side characters, which is a damn shame because they are so much better than the main cast; it's almost not funny.”
replayability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The game offers decent replayability through features like New Game Plus, diverse party setups, and the ability to revisit favorite encounters, with a total of 16 playable characters enhancing strategic options. However, some players feel that the shift to a dungeon crawler format and reduced exploration limit its replay value compared to earlier titles in the series. Overall, while there are many character combinations and dialogue options to explore, the game's design may not appeal to those seeking extensive replayability.
- “New game plus, different party setups, and revisiting your favorite doors or boss fights give it decent replay value.”
- “The game is perfectly fine; I'd even argue it's got a lot of replayability in how many combinations of character dialogues you can trigger too.”
- “This game has the most playable characters compared to other JRPGs, because almost every important character from the previous games is playable, so the total is 16 playable characters!”
- “That alone killed any replayability I felt for the game.”
- “This is a little different from the previous two games; they made this one a dungeon crawler with little exploration outside it, but it still has compelling main and side stories. Characters from the two previous games are all here and are playable, plus some 'new' ones. For me, it feels like a spin-off rather than a sequel, but it's a wonderful closure for the series.”
- “I do care about story and characters, but gameplay and replay value are core aspects of video games.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its powerful music and emotional depth, which enhances the overall experience and complements the story's progression. While some reviewers noted a slowdown in pacing due to fewer background characters, the game's dark and foreboding tone stands out as a highlight, creating a memorable and immersive environment. Overall, the combination of evocative soundtracks and character development contributes significantly to the game's atmospheric quality.
- “Just absolutely godlike gameplay, music, and atmosphere.”
- “You will find memorable music that suits the atmosphere almost perfectly at every scene, every battle, and every locale.”
- “The music does an excellent job at setting the tone and atmosphere of the locales you explore throughout the game, as well as being quite powerful during the story's most emotional parts.”
- “The more dark and foreboding atmosphere is at the center of attention this time and not more in the background like we've been accustomed to with the other games in the series; it's certainly another highlight of the third installment.”
- “There's a point in the game where they do something they didn't have to, which ends up enhancing the atmosphere of the game.”
- “Overall a great soundtrack that really lends itself to the game's atmosphere!”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's optimization is mixed; while the PC version generally runs smoothly and retains a charming art style, many players report significant performance issues, including extreme lag, FPS drops, and occasional crashes. Some users experienced noticeable stuttering and freezing, which may be linked to hardware rather than the game itself. Overall, the technical aspects show their age, impacting the overall experience.
- “Visually and technically, the game shows its age, but the PC version runs smoothly, and the simple but expressive art style still carries warmth and personality.”
- “There is a significant amount of the game that is dedicated to combat, as well as party optimization, and some amount of grinding at the endgame as well.”
- “The emotion in their voices matches perfectly and there are many, many scenes that will stand out for their flawless performances.”
- “I had quite a lot of performance issues with this one (extreme lags, fps drops, crashes, etc.).”
- “I also experienced some very noticeable stuttering which I didn't have in the first 2 games.”
- “I also had some performance issues where the game would freeze at random points, but that was more likely a hardware issue.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report a smooth experience without major bugs, some encounter graphical glitches and freezing issues, particularly during extended play sessions. The third installment appears to be more prone to bugs than its predecessors, with additional problems such as localization errors and inconsistent character integration.
- “I would start seeing graphical glitches if I played for more than a few hours straight, and have to restart the game.”
- “For unknown reasons, the third game is a little more buggy compared to the other two.”
- “The game also experiences some visual/resolution glitches as well as localization (translation) problems.”

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87%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews

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130h Median play time

142h Average play time

60-250h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd is a role playing game with fantasy, anime and science fiction themes.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd is available on PC, Steam Deck, Windows, PlayStation 3 and others.

On average players spend around 142 hours playing The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd was released on May 3, 2017.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd was developed by Nihon Falcom.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd is a single player game.

Similar games include The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 2, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 4, The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero and others.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd

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