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

{{Infobox video game

| title = {{nowrap|The Legend of Heroes:}} {{nowrap|Trails in the Sky the 3rd}}

| image = Trails in the Sky the 3rd artwork.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Steam artwork

| developer = Nihon Falcom

| publisher = Xseed Games{{vgrelease|JP|Nihon Falcom}}

| director = Toshihiro Kondo

| producer = Masayuki Kato

| designer =

| programmer = {{ubl|Hideyuki Yamashita|Noriyuki Chiyoda}}

| artist = Haccan

| writer = {{ubl|Hisayoshi Takeiri|Shinichiro Sakamoto|Yoshihiro Konda}}

| composer = {{ubl|Ryo Takeshita|Hayato Sonoda|Takahiro Unisuga|Yukihiro Jindo}}

| series = Trails

| engine =

| platforms = {{ubl|Windows|PlayStation Portable|PlayStation 3|PlayStation Vita}}

| released = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|June 28, 2007}}|Windows{{vgrelease|JP|June 28, 2007|WW|May 3, 2017}}PlayStation Portable{{vgrelease|JP|July 24, 2008}}PlayStation 3{{vgrelease|JP|June 27, 2013}}PlayStation Vita{{vgrelease|JP|July 14, 2016}}}}

| genre = Role-playing

| modes = Single-player

}}

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd{{efn|Known in Japan as {{Nihongo|Sora no Kiseki the 3rd|英雄伝説空の軌跡|Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki the 3rd|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}}.}} is a 2007 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series, and follows Trails in the Sky SC (2005) as the final entry of the Liberl trilogy arc.

Trails in the Sky the 3rd was released in Japan for Windows and the PlayStation Portable. It did not see an English release until 2017 due to the game's large amount of text necessary to translate. A port to the PlayStation 3 was released in 2013, while a remaster for the PlayStation Vita was released in 2016; both were only released in Japan.

Gameplay

The game plays similarly to its predecessors, being a role-playing video game with turn-based battles, but this time enemies have affinities to the three higher elements of time, space and mirage. Other additions are the turn bonuses of "rush", allowing the player to take two actions at once, "guard", which nullifies any damage, "vanish", which makes a target disappear for a few turns, and "death", which gives the attack the effect of an instant death. Throughout the games' dungeons the player will find doors engraved with symbols of the moon, stars and the sun, which trigger, respectively, long story scenes, short story scenes, and mini-games. Those scenes usually tell the story of past events and may feature battles.

Save data from the Windows, PSP, and PS3 versions of Second Chapter unlock bonus content when playing the 3rd.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2013/03/15/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-the-third-hd-edition-set-for-june-on-ps3/|title=The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the Third HD Edition Set For June On PS3 - Siliconera|author=|work=Siliconera|date=March 15, 2013|accessdate=September 8, 2014|archive-date=September 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923230938/https://www.siliconera.com/2013/03/15/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-the-third-hd-edition-set-for-june-on-ps3/|url-status=live}} Additionally, save data for the 3rd is transferable from the PSP to the PS3, allowing the player to continue where they had left off.

Plot

The game follows Dominion of the Septian Church Kevin Graham, who is sent to an otherworldly dimension known as Phantasma. Other characters from the series are similarly summoned to Phantasma, and Kevin works with them to investigate the realm and how to escape it, coming to terms with his past along the way. Sky the 3rd foreshadows several plot elements that are seen in later arcs.

Development

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky was initially planned to be released as one singular game, but the size and scope grew so much that Falcom had to either pare down the game, or split it up. They chose the latter, and eventually split it into two parts, First Chapter (FC) and Second Chapter (SC). Development later started on an epilogue, which became the 3rd. While the first two entries focused on the more upbeat adventures of Estelle and Joshua, the 3rd shifted its focus on telling a darker story following different protagonists.{{cite web|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/loh/loh6.htm|title=Hardcore Gaming 101: Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky|author=|publisher=|accessdate=September 8, 2014|archive-date=December 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221131241/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/loh/loh6.htm|url-status=dead}}

After FC{{'s}} successful launch on Windows, Xseed Games showed renewed interest in localization of the 3rd, contingent on the success of SC. In 2013, Xseed partnered with translation company Carpe Fulgur to translate SC; the 3rd{{'s}} release largely hinged on its success.{{cite web|url=http://www.egmnow.com/articles/news/xseed-games-bringing-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-second-chapter-to-steam-ps-store/|title=Xseed Games Bringing Trails in the Sky Second Chapter to Steam, PS Store – EGMNOW|author=|work=EGMNOW.com|accessdate=September 8, 2014|archive-date=December 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151214034143/http://www.egmnow.com/articles/news/xseed-games-bringing-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-second-chapter-to-steam-ps-store/|url-status=dead}} Ken Berry, vice president of Xseed Games, stated that despite having the right to release the 3rd, they would be willing to allow others to translate them as well due to them being such large undertakings.{{cite web|url=http://xseedgames.tumblr.com/post/120804314195/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-series-localization|title=XSEED Games — The Legend of Heroes: Trails Series - Localization Blog #1|website=Tumblr|accessdate=December 6, 2015|archive-date=September 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930085354/https://xseedgames.tumblr.com/post/120804314195/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-series-localization|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://rpgamer.com/features/2013/interviews/xseedfall2013int1.html|title=RPGamer > Feature > XSEED Games Fall 2013 Interview – Part 1|author=|publisher=|accessdate=September 8, 2014|archive-date=December 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204075403/http://rpgamer.com/features/2013/interviews/xseedfall2013int1.html|url-status=dead}}

Release

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd was initially released in Japan for Windows on June 28, 2007. A port for the PlayStation Portable was released in Japan on July 24, 2008. A high definition port for the PlayStation 3 was released in Japan on June 27, 2013. A remaster, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the Third Evolution, was released in Japan for the PlayStation Vita on July 14, 2016. An English localization of Trails in the Sky the 3rd by Xseed Games was released worldwide for Windows on May 3, 2017.{{cite web|last1=Chalk|first1=Andy|title=The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd is coming in May, Trails of Cold Steel to follow|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-the-3rd-is-coming-in-may-trails-of-cold-steel-to-follow/|website=PC Gamer|date=April 7, 2017|accessdate=October 6, 2017|archive-date=September 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930085317/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-the-3rd-is-coming-in-may-trails-of-cold-steel-to-follow/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|author1=One PR Studio|title=XSEED Games Celebrates Five Years of Nihon Falcom's Trails Saga with Plans for Trails of Cold Steel II and Trails in the Sky the Third|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/267907/|website=Gamasutra|publisher=UBM|accessdate=April 7, 2017|date=March 11, 2016|archive-date=September 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930084753/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/267907/|url-status=live}}

In 2011, publisher Aeria Games announced a mobile version of the Trails in the Sky games for North America, but no details have been released since the initial announcement.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2011/12/27/the-legend-of-the-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-series-soaring-to-smartphones-in-english/|title=The Legend Of The Heroes: Trails In The Sky Series Soaring To Smartphones... In English! - Siliconera|author=|work=Siliconera|date=December 27, 2011|accessdate=September 8, 2014|archive-date=April 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419015100/http://www.siliconera.com/2011/12/27/the-legend-of-the-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-series-soaring-to-smartphones-in-english/|url-status=live}} Xseed said that they had no connection to the potential Aeria Games release.{{cite web|url=http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2011/2572.html|title=The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Trilogy Goes Mobile|author=|publisher=|accessdate=September 8, 2014|archive-date=September 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930232359/http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2011/2572.html|url-status=dead}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 83/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-the-3rd/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=April 24, 2020 |archive-date=March 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240317161858/https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-the-3rd/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |url-status=live}}

| RPG = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |title=The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd Review {{!}} Aces high |url=https://rpgamer.com/review/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-the-3rd-review-2/ |website=RPGamer |date=August 29, 2021 |access-date=August 29, 2021 |archive-date=August 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829161149/https://rpgamer.com/review/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-the-3rd-review-2/ |url-status=live}}

| RPGFan = 85/100{{cite web |last1=Fenlon |first1=Wes |title=The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd |url=https://www.rpgfan.com/review/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-the-3rd/ |website=RPGFan |date=August 29, 2021 |access-date=August 29, 2021 |archive-date=August 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829160513/https://www.rpgfan.com/review/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-in-the-sky-the-3rd/ |url-status=live}}

}}

Trails in the Sky the 3rd received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic. Upon release in Japan, the PlayStation Portable version received a score of 30/40 from video game magazine Famitsu.{{cite web |url=http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=944 |title=英雄伝説空の軌跡 the 3rd (PSP)の関連情報 | ゲーム・エンタメ最新情報のファミ通.com |publisher=Famitsu.com |date= |accessdate=2022-08-31 |archive-date=November 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119024541/http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=944 |url-status=live}}