Look, let’s be real. Attempting to play the legend of heroes games in order is less like starting a new hobby and more like signing a multi-year lease on your free time. We aren’t talking about a trilogy here. We are talking about a sprawling, interconnected narrative that has been running since the early 2000s, spanning over a dozen massive RPGs. It’s intimidating. Most people see the list of titles and just walk away because, honestly, who has three hundred hours just to get through the first "arc"?
But there’s a reason this series has a cult following that treats developer Nihon Falcom like digital gods. Unlike Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, where every numbered entry is a fresh start, Legend of Heroes—specifically the "Trails" or Kiseki sub-series—is one continuous story. Imagine if the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a series of 80-hour turn-based RPGs. That’s what you’re looking at. If you jump in at the wrong spot, you’re going to be hopelessly lost when a character from a game made in 2004 shows up to save your life in a game made in 2020.
The Liberl Arc: Where it Actually Begins
You have to start with Trails in the Sky. Don't argue. I know the graphics look like a refined PlayStation 1 game or a high-end PSP title, but the writing is where the magic happens. This is the Liberl Arc. It consists of Trails in the Sky FC (First Chapter), SC (Second Chapter), and the 3rd.
FC is a slow burn. Like, glacially slow. You play as Estelle and Joshua Bright, two junior "Bracers" basically doing odd jobs across the kingdom. For the first thirty hours, you’re mostly finding lost cats or fixing street lamps. It feels low stakes. Then, the ending happens. It’s one of the most infamous cliffhangers in JRPG history. You’ll immediately need SC to see what happens next. The 3rd is a bit different; it’s more of a dungeon crawler that acts as a bridge, fleshing out the backstories of the side characters you grew to love. It sets the stage for everything that comes later. Without these three, the emotional payoffs in the later games won't land. You’ll see a returning character and think "Oh, cool design," instead of screaming at your monitor because you know their tragic backstory.
Why the Order Gets Messy: The Crossbell and Erebonia Dilemma
This is where the legend of heroes games in order discussion gets heated on Reddit and Discord. After the Sky trilogy, the series splits its focus. You have the Crossbell Arc (Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure) and the first half of the Cold Steel Arc (Trails of Cold Steel I and II).
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Technically, these games happen almost at the same time.
Crossbell is a tiny city-state caught between two superpowers. Zero and Azure were stuck in Japan for years until Geofront (a fan translation group) did a legendary job translating them, which eventually led to official releases by NIS America. These games are masterpieces. The "Special Support Section" (SSS) feels like a family. Meanwhile, Cold Steel I takes you to the Erebonian Empire. It introduces a 3D engine and a "Social Link" style system similar to Persona.
The "Ideal" Path vs. The "Practical" Path
Some fans say you should play in release order: Sky -> Crossbell -> Cold Steel.
Others say you can start with Cold Steel I because it was designed as an entry point for newcomers.
Honestly? If you can handle the older graphics, stick to release order. Trails to Azure ends with some massive world-altering events that Cold Steel II also covers from a different perspective. If you play Cold Steel first, you spoil the tension of the Crossbell games. But hey, if you really need the modern 3D look to stay engaged, Cold Steel I is a fine place to hop on the bus. Just be prepared to go back later.
The Cold Steel Marathon and the Grand Finale
Once you hit Trails of Cold Steel III, the "onboarding" phase is over. This is where Falcom stops holding your hand. Cold Steel III and IV are Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. They pull in every single protagonist from the previous seven games. If you haven't played the legend of heroes games in order up to this point, you will be inundated with references you don't understand and emotional beats that feel hollow.
Cold Steel IV is an absolute unit of a game. It is bloated, it is long, and it features a playable cast of about forty characters. It's exhausting, yet somehow deeply rewarding if you've spent the last year of your life living in this world.
Then there is Trails into Reverie. Think of this as the epilogue to both the Crossbell and Erebonia arcs. It uses a "Trails to Walk" system where you switch between three different protagonists: Rean from Cold Steel, Lloyd from Crossbell, and a mysterious masked man named "C." It wraps up almost every lingering plot thread from the previous ten games. It’s a victory lap.
The New Era: Daybreak
We are currently in the Calvard Arc. Trails through Daybreak (originally Kuro no Kiseki in Japan) is a soft reboot of sorts. It features a new engine, a more "gray" protagonist named Van Arkride who isn't a squeaky-clean hero, and a combat system that lets you swap between real-time action and turn-based strategy.
Because it starts a new story in a new country, it’s a great entry point for people who are terrified of the twelve-game backlog. However, by the time Daybreak II and the upcoming Kai no Kiseki roll around, the old characters start creeping back in. You can't escape the lore. It's inescapable.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Lore
People think you need a wiki open at all times. You don't. The games actually do a decent job of summarizing past events through in-game libraries or dialogue. The real issue isn't "understanding" the plot—it's the emotional connection. The Legend of Heroes is a series built on the passage of time. You see a political activist in one game, and three games later, they are the President. You see a little girl in the first game, and ten games later, she’s a grown woman leading a mercenary unit.
That sense of a living, breathing world is what you lose if you skip around.
Critical Tips for the Long Haul
- Don't talk to everyone. Every NPC in these games has a name and a dialogue script that updates after every single story beat. If you try to talk to everyone, you will burn out before you finish the first game.
- Use the Turbo Button. Most modern ports (especially the ones on PC and PS4/PS5) have a turbo mode. Use it for walking and for basic combat animations. It will save you dozens of hours.
- The "Door" Quests in Sky the 3rd are mandatory. They might seem optional, but they contain the most important character development in the entire series, especially the infamous "Star Door 15." Be warned: it gets dark. Much darker than the bright, colorful art style suggests.
How to Actually Finish This Series
If you want to experience the legend of heroes games in order, don't treat it like a sprint. You will fail. Treat it like a long-running TV show you watch between other things. Play the Sky trilogy, then go play something else. Play the Crossbell duology, then take a break.
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The series is a feat of world-building that shouldn't exist in the modern gaming industry. It’s too big, too complex, and too niche. Yet, it persists.
Start with Trails in the Sky FC. It’s cheap on Steam. It runs on a potato. If you aren't charmed by Estelle Bright within the first ten hours, then maybe this isn't for you. But if you are? Welcome to the next five hundred hours of your life.
Next Steps for the Aspiring Completionist:
- Check the Platforms: The Sky trilogy is primarily on PC (Steam/GOG). Crossbell and Cold Steel are on everything (PS4, Switch, PC). Daybreak is the newest kid on the block.
- Download the Voice Mods: The original PC releases of the Sky games don't have voice acting, but there are "Evo" mods that add the Japanese voice acting from later Vita releases. It significantly improves the experience.
- Prepare a Tracker: Use a site like "HowLongToBeat" or a simple spreadsheet. Seeing the "Hours Played" climb while the "Games Remaining" count drops is its own kind of RPG progression.