5/5 ★ – DarkDrawer's review of Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter.

Probably my most anticipated games of 2025, Trails in the Sky First Chapter. This game is simply amazing from start to finish and has so many moments that get enhanced with the new voice acting and the scene direction. It doesn't straight replace the original as some combat mechanics are integral to the grid-based format and some of that gets lost in the various buffs and the free-flow combat. Additionally some of the voices are a little weird to the models. Aside from that, it's Trails in the Sky FC remade with modern sensibilities. The quick battles redefine the majority of the areas as you aren't locked into battle after battle of turn based fighting. It's a lot easier to pick and choose, especially if you're a higher level than anything else. The side quests having notifications and the minimap existing in all areas is a direct improvement in making the game easier or more accessible to play. All the areas look amazing in the game and being able to fast travel to select areas make it a lot easier to appreciate it all. The crafts and arts of this game look amazing and they play amazing. Item selection can be pretty powerful and the costumes are a great addition (I do wish there were more). This game is pretty faithful to the original, but it does remove localization decisions from the original (but for me, that's a win tbh). The romance is cute and awkward. The characters in this game are very pretty and I think that is pretty cool! Zin and Olivier were two standouts from the cast where the voice acting really endeared me to the characters even more from the original (Scherezard too). All in all, the game is gorgeous and I couldn't ask for much more. There's some things in place to make it more casual-friendly, but stuff like fast travel is just nice to see out of a game like this where you can go from place to place a lot sometimes; helps keep the pace moving. Richard is a standout as a "villain" and I hope the next game does particular arcs well. Speaking of next game, if it can deliver on remaking SC with a facelift like this game... we might have a top 5er soon. Excellent game and probably my favorite of 2025.