This remake of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 1st has basically taught every other classic JRPG remake a lesson. It's not just getting rave reviews from players and critics; many people (myself included) see it as the new benchmark for remakes. From the new voice acting and phenomenal PC optimization to the design and gameplay, almost everything is polished to perfection.
The most reassuring part is that it completely preserves the entire story from the original FC. Both the main and side content have been recreated almost perfectly.
While the Trails series is known for its "slow-burn" storytelling, the pacing here is handled incredibly well. The plot progression is solid, and it never feels like it's dragging.
I have to give a special shout-out to the protagonist, Estelle's, character development. She's absolutely not one of those bland, boring, "perfectly nice" protagonists. She has rough edges, flaws, and a vibrant personality, but she's also fundamentally kind-hearted. And the emotional arc between her and Joshua—that "siblings to lovers" storyline—is one of the biggest highlights of the game. You'll find yourself getting genuinely invested in this pair.
As for the combat system, the remake does something really smart. It preserves the classic system from Sky FC while also integrating some of the best design elements from later Trails games.
The core "Orbment System" is still the one veteran players are most familiar with—where the Quartz crystals themselves carry attribute values. But the character balance adjustments? They are so good.
Remember how in the original, Estelle was basically just a buff-bot or healer in combat? In the remake, she and several other characters are ridiculously powerful. They have Crafts for everything: interrupting casts, stealing turn bonuses, and recovering EP. Their support skills are even better, offering both magic and physical attack enhancements. Their utility is just off the charts.
As for the visuals and audio, they're top-notch. The game thoughtfully provides multiple audio track options. If the graphics in the original Sky FC were like postcard-perfect scenery, then Sky the 1st truly pulls you right into that world.
Especially on the NS2 version, the higher resolution and frame rate make the graphics sharper by a huge margin, and the loading times are almost nonexistent. You can finally see the subtle facial expressions on the previously chibi-style characters!
All in all, Trails in the Sky the 1st is definitely not just a simple revival or a lazy cash grab.
It’s a reminder of just how charming a JRPG can be when it’s willing to tell a patient story and build touching character connections. With its fully evolved combat, tons of quality-of-life improvements, and some of the most unforgettable characters in the genre—this game is an absolute must-play for all classic JRPG fans.