Last month, the release of Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter ushered in Falcom's Kiseki remake era, bringing beloved heroine Estelle Bright's Liberl-trotting quest to modern platforms with slick presentation and a revamped battle system. With 13 mainline games and counting, a game that kicks off a deeply intertwined series was logically overdue for a refresh, and what a wonderful refresh it is.
We are well aware that the direct sequel to the first chapter is deep in development. Falcom Straight-Up gave fans a teaser video at the end of the first game. Trails in the Sky 3, despite bearing that specific sub-series designation, is something of a spin-off; Instead of starring Estelle like the first two games, it follows Kevin Graham. It's more focused, more character-driven, and a bit of a black sheep. 3 has its fans, make no mistake; This is a good game. It's just that difference.
As it happens, Kevin's big adventure can be skipped, at least for now, in favor of Lloyd Banning's Crossbell duology: Trails from Zero and possibly Trails to Azure. maybe We will see. That's not just my line – that's the official line of Nihon Falcom's own CEO.
Even Sega admits that all those full-price Persona re-releases have been a problem.
Or, “Some people seem to be waiting for Metaphor: Utopia Edition.”
Third to zero
Speaking with Dengeki Online (and notices by Automaton), the ever-reliable chat Koji Kondo readily acknowledges the narrative importance of Trails in the Sky 3rd, and doesn't give us direct evidence. will not A remake might happen, but at the same time it reveals that the staff is now divided on whether to remake Trails from Zero or not.
“We're not sure whether to do 3rd or From Zero next – we're divided. Some members say it's better to remake From Zero before 3rd.” – Cozy condo
In a sense, do I get it? The sales trails of Sky 1st Chapter have been appreciated by Kondo himself, so there is no immediate danger that the remakes will not provide the necessary profits and will fall short of many installments, even if Falcom's devs envisioned. But it's never good to assume that nothing will change, so if there is a need to focus on some remakes over others, it can be argued that the Crossbell duology is “more important”.
But still – as I said, Kondo eagerly explains how Trails in the Sky 3 has its own influence on the ongoing story:
“Rene's story is really important. The same goes for Kevin, and the name Crosbell first appears in The 3rd. It's also where Erebonia's Blood and Iron Chancellor Osborn first appears.”
Kondo says “[thinks] We'll have to remake the 3rd at some point.” Interestingly, however, he added that “there are many possible ideas for what form it could take.” Could Falcom be toying with the idea of a less straightforward remake? More features, or something with major changes to existing content?
One thing's for sure: we shouldn't expect a remake of Trails of Cold Steel I and II anytime soon. (III and IV are in full 3D, so it's highly doubtful that Falcom is really looking to remake them for a long time, or ever.) “”When we were developing Cold Steel, we were told to do whatever we liked, so we packed the game with a lot of different elements. I think it would be a very difficult feat to remake.” So, there you have it – Ren's opening outings are too big for his own graphical good.
