The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero[lower-alpha 2] is a role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. It was first released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable in September 2010,[1] and was later ported to Microsoft Windows for release in China a year later. It was also released for the PlayStation Vita in Japan as Zero no Kiseki: Evolution in October 2012. This version features improved visuals and more voice acting.[2] The Evolution version received a remaster for the PlayStation 4, releasing in Japan as Zero no Kiseki Kai in April 2020.[3] It was also released for the Nintendo Switch in Asia by Clouded Leopard Entertainment in February 2021.[4]

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero
Japanese PSP cover art
Developer(s)Nihon Falcom[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)NIS America
  • JP: Nihon Falcom
Director(s)Toshihiro Kondo
Producer(s)Masayuki Kato
Programmer(s)
  • Toru Endo
  • Homare Karusawa
  • Katsuya Horimoto
Artist(s)Katsumi Enami
Writer(s)Hisayoshi Takeiri
Composer(s)
  • Hayato Sonoda
  • Takahiro Unisuga
  • Saki Momiyama
  • Masanori Osaki
Series
Platform(s)
Release
September 30, 2010
  • PlayStation Portable
    • JP: September 30, 2010
  • Microsoft Windows
    • CHN: August 28, 2011
    • JP: June 14, 2013
    • NA: September 27, 2022
    • EU: September 30, 2022
  • PlayStation Vita
    • JP: October 18, 2012
  • PlayStation 4
    • JP: April 23, 2020
    • NA: September 27, 2022
    • EU: September 30, 2022
    • AU: October 10, 2022
  • Nintendo Switch
    • JP: February 25, 2021
    • NA: September 27, 2022
    • EU: September 30, 2022
    • AU: October 10, 2022
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

About a decade after the initial release, the game received an English fan translation. Soon after, the translation team agreed to cooperate with NIS America on adapting it for an official English version, scheduled to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch in September 2022.[5]

Trails from Zero is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. The game and its direct sequel, The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure (2011), form the "Crossbell arc". It takes place in Crossbell, a city-state located between two great powers fighting for power over it, and follows Lloyd Bannings, a rookie investigator with the Crossbell police, and his colleagues Elie McDowell, Randy Orlando, and Tio Plato.

Plot

Trails from Zero is set three months after the end of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd, in the city-state of Crossbell. Uneasily situated between two great powers – the Erebonian Empire and the Calvard Republic, both of which claim sovereignty over Crossbell – the city is riven by political tensions, corruption and organized crime.

The protagonist, Lloyd Bannings, is a rookie police detective. At the beginning of Zero, he is assigned to the Special Support Section (SSS), an odd-jobs branch of the city's police department, together with Elie McDowell, heiress to a political dynasty, Randy Orlando, a laid-back ex-soldier, and Tio Plato, a young girl and electronics genius. During Zero, the SSS investigate the schemes of the city's competing crime syndicates, before stumbling over the plot of a centuries-old cult to raise a young girl, known as KeA, to godhood and, through her, overthrow the continent's church and faith. The SSS defeat and arrest the cult's leaders and assume guardianship of KeA.

Localization

Due to a variety of reasons, Trails from Zero and its sequel, Trails to Azure, were not localized by the time of the Japanese release of Trails of Cold Steel. Falcom subsequently approached Xseed Games, who had previously localized Trails in the Sky, and requested that a localization of Trails of Cold Steel be prioritized instead, resulting in Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure being skipped.[6]

A fan translation in English was released by a team known as "Geofront" on March 14, 2020.[7] In June 2021, an official English version based on the fan translation was announced.[8] Published by NIS America, it is set for release for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows in North America on September 27, 2022, and in Europe three days later.[9]

Reception

Trails from Zero won the User Choice Award at the 2010 PlayStation Awards.[10] Along with Trails to Azure, Comic Book Resources highlighted the game's "persistent overarching storyline, immersive and detailed settings, masterful character development [and] unique battle system". They noted that despite the lack of an official localization at the time, the plot and characters were integral to understanding later games in the series.[1]

Notes
  1. Nintendo Switch version in Asia ported by Clouded Leopard Entertainment
  2. Known in Japan as Zero no Kiseki (Japanese: 英雄伝説零の軌跡, Hepburn: Eiyuu Densetsu: Zero no Kiseki)

References
  1. Rawda, Odel (6 May 2020). "Why Falcom's Trails from Zero & Trails to Azure Deserve a Western Release". CBR. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  2. ""Zero no Kiseki: Evolution" for(PS Vita)". Falcom. Retrieved 2012-03-13.
  3. Romano, Sal (31 January 2020). "The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki and Ao no Kiseki for PS4 launch April 23 and May 28 in Japan". Gematsu. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  4. Romano, Sal (February 2021). "The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki for Switch delayed to February 25 in Asia". Gematsu. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  5. Mateo, Alex (March 2, 2022). "Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero Game's Trailer Reveals September 27 Release in N. America". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  6. Avery, Brittany (June 5, 2015). "The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel - Localization Blog #1". XSEED Games Official Website. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  7. Romano, Sal (9 March 2020). "The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki PC fan translation mod launches March 14". Gematsu. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  8. Romano, Sal (June 25, 2021). "The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero coming west in fall 2022 for PS4, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  9. Romano, Sal. "The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero launches September 27 in North America, September 30 in Europe". Gematsu. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  10. "The Legend of Heroes "Zero no Kiseki" for PSP- Awards". Falcom. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
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