• This is the first game in the long-running Trails / Kiseki franchise. It's main selling points are a continuous plotline through all of its games, extensive character / world building and kickass Falcom music. Characters from this game will appear in later titles and its events will get referenced. This trend continues throughout the whole series.
  
  
• Because this is the very first game in the series, it progresses very slowly and takes its time to introduce the world, its characters and technology until it culminates in an epic finale. There is a LOT of dialogue, both mandatory and optional. Every NPC features an unique identity and receives updated dialogue each time you progress the main story. I'd say there's about as much reading as there is battle content and exploration, maybe even more.
  
  
• There's an optional Japanese dub you can mod in. I highly suggest using it as it not only gives the characters even more personality but also showcases the flawed localization of this game. While key plot points are translated faithfully, the English script will often add unfunny jokes not found in the original and tries to "pep up" the conversations with varying levels of success. Not everyone is going to care about this, but I feel it's worth pointing out for those interested in localization changes. Use the Sky Installer[github.com] for an easy installation.
  
  
• On normal difficulty, the combat is just engaging enough to not bore you to death and doesn't require intensive strategizing. I didn't mind because the story and characters were interesting enough to keep me going and it's clear that they're the main draw of this game. I cannot wait to see how the story continues in Sky SC.
  
  
• A warning: If you're are a completionist who only wants to play through the game once, use a guide. This game has quite a few cryptic missables that require you to talk to the correct NPCs at the right time. For example, I cleared an optional area but didn't trigger the side quest within because I didn't clear / visit it between the "appropriate" story cutscenes.
  If you've played a few older games, then you'll soon realize that it's one of those games.

After reading all of this, you might think that I'm describing an average, run-of-the-mill JRPG like any other. Its shortcomings are enough of a deterrent for some to avoid this franchise altogether and I agree when people say it's not for everyone.
If, however, you are like me - a person who places great value on narrative, fully realized settings and character development - you will have an absolutely great time and get way more than just your money's worth out of it.

With that being said:
All Trails games currently available in English have found their way into my library and I REGRET NOTHING.

[h2]If you're interested in this game, here's what to expect:[/h2] [list] [*]This is the first game in the long-running Trails / Kiseki franchise. It's main selling points are a continuous plotline through all of its games, extensive character / world building and kickass Falcom music. Characters from this game will appear in later titles and its events will get referenced. This trend continues throughout the whole series. [*]Because this is the very first game in the series, it progresses very slowly and takes its time to introduce the world, its characters and technology until it culminates in an epic finale. There is a LOT of dialogue, both mandatory and optional. Every NPC features an unique identity and receives updated dialogue each time you progress the main story. I'd say there's about as much reading as there is battle content and exploration, maybe even more. [*]There's an optional Japanese dub you can mod in. I highly suggest using it as it not only gives the characters even more personality but also showcases the flawed localization of this game. While key plot points are translated faithfully, the English script will often add unfunny jokes not found in the original and tries to "pep up" the conversations with varying levels of success. Not everyone is going to care about this, but I feel it's worth pointing out for those interested in localization changes. Use the [url=https://github.com/chyyran/skyinstaller]Sky Installer[/url] for an easy installation. [*]On normal difficulty, the combat is just engaging enough to not bore you to death and doesn't require intensive strategizing. I didn't mind because the story and characters were interesting enough to keep me going and it's clear that they're the main draw of this game. I cannot wait to see how the story continues in Sky SC. [*]A warning: If you're are a completionist who only wants to play through the game once, [b]use a guide[/b]. This game has quite a few cryptic missables that require you to talk to the correct NPCs at the right time. For example, I cleared an optional area but didn't trigger the side quest within because I didn't clear / visit it between the "appropriate" story cutscenes. If you've played a few older games, then you'll soon realize that it's one of [b]those[/b] games. [/list] [h3]Conclusion:[/h3] After reading all of this, you might think that I'm describing an average, run-of-the-mill JRPG like any other. Its shortcomings are enough of a deterrent for some to avoid this franchise altogether and I agree when people say it's not for everyone. If, however, you are like me - a person who places great value on narrative, fully realized settings and character development - you will have an absolutely great time and get way more than just your money's worth out of it. With that being said: All Trails games currently available in English have found their way into my library and [b]I REGRET NOTHING[/b].