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Prominent video game localizer, XSEED, has put out a press release detailing their future plans for the Legend of Heroes series of games. First off, Trails of Cold Steel I (originally released for PS Vita and PS3) will be coming to PC this summer. If that's not enough to sway you, the game will be getting graphical updates, and 5,000 more lines of translated dialogue, 50% more than the original release. The sequel, Trails of Cold Steel II will also be ported to PC, later down the line. XSEED also revealed that Trails in the Sky the 3rd will receive the same PC treatment, (and is apparently to be a PC exclusive) and will release in the west on May 3. You can view the video above to see the PC and PS3 visual comparisons for Cold Steel.

You can read GBAtemp's official review of the original release HERE.

Critically Acclaimed New ‘Trails’ Arc Coming to PC This Summer, and Highly Anticipated Final Entry in the ‘Trails in the Sky’ Trilogy of Nihon Falcom JRPGs to Delight PC Gamers on May 3



Torrance, Calif. — April 7, 2017 — XSEED Games, the independent-minded console publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., today revealed its plans to bring The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, the start of a new story arc in Nihon Falcom’s acclaimed series of roleplaying games, to Windows PC this summer with 50% more lines of English voiceover dialogue. XSEED Games also re-confirmed that the highly anticipated, final entry in the Trails in the Sky arc of The Legend of Heroes series, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd, will see its first English-language release via Windows PC, which has now been revealed for a May 3rd launch. Additionally, the company announced that The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II will also see an eventual Windows PC release.



To celebrate today’s announcement, XSEED Games has released the very first Windows PC assets for Trails of Cold Steel, including a brief comparison video between the Windows PC and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system versions as well as screenshots for Trails in the Sky the 3rd. More information on both titles can be found below.


About The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

Originally released for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system in 2015, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel will make its debut on Windows PC this summer with over 5,000 new lines of voiceover dialogue (approximately a 50% increase).



The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel builds on Nihon Falcom’s beloved Trails franchise, improving on the series’ formula while delivering an expertly told, standalone narrative that both series fans and newcomers alike will enjoy. Taking place on the same continent as fan-favorite Trails in the Sky, Trails of Cold Steel further explores Erebonia and gives players a chance to delve deep into the inner political conflicts of this oft-mentioned and powerful empire. Players take on the role of elite military students at a time of great turmoil, who enjoy school life as they bond with fellow students to earn new abilities in battle, and then utilize those abilities via tactical turn-based combat. In between skirmishes, players can upgrade their party members with the “ARCUS” system – a streamlined version of the classic “Orbment” magic system from previous titles – allowing for greater access to abilities and quicker customization.

GBAtemp Press Inbox

 

[Enteking]

This means it is coming to PS4 and X1 as well as these consoles are basically PC's.

 

[GerbilSoft]

This means it is coming to PS4 and X1 as well as these consoles are basically PC's.

No, it doesn't. Games still have to be ported to PS4 and Xbox One; they won't just "magically" work on those platforms if it runs on Windows on a PC.

 

[Enteking]

But porting them is effortless, inexpensive and easy. I bet it will be announced until the end of E3. It would be stupid and a waste of resources / sales potential not to do it so it will happen.

 

[GerbilSoft]

But porting them is effortless, inexpensive and easy. I bet it will be announced until the end of E3.

Porting between any modern platform isn't rocket science. The same effort would be needed to port from PS3 to PS4, Xbox One, "PC" (Windows), or Nintendo Switch. Simply having an x86 CPU doesn't automatically make it "super easy", nor does it mean it's "basically a PC". (PS4 in particular has a chipset that's definitely nowhere near what would be considered "PC" architecture.)

 

[Enteking]

But it really is super easy. All modern engines and development tools support all platforms and the fact that these consoles use 100% PC hardware and fully compatible graphics APIs means 95% of the work is already done with the PC port. Just wait and see.

 

[GerbilSoft]

But it really is super easy. All modern engines and development tools support all platforms and the fact that these consoles use 100% PC hardware and fully compatible graphics APIs means 95% of the work is already done with the PC port.

No, they don't use "100% PC hardware".

PS4 uses a totally nonstandard southbridge that does things differently for seemingly no reason: https://fail0verflow.com/blog/2015/console-hacking-2015-liner-notes/
Xbox One runs everything in a hypervisor, and games don't run in a "standard" version of Windows.

if they really were "100% PC hardware", we'd be seeing people running full desktop versions of Windows on both of them. Currently, Linux has been ported to PS4, but has required a lot of changes due to it not being a standard PC. I'm not sure about Linux on Xbox One. Neither system can run standard desktop Windows.

 

[Enteking]

Of course they have copy protection but you basically just export your PC game from the IDE and fill digital distribution paperwork. There is really not that much work behind a port these days, apart from fine tuning.

 

[GerbilSoft]

Of course they have copy protection but you basically just export your PC game from the IDE and fill digital distribution paperwork. There is really not that much work behind a port these days, apart from fine tuning.

Honestly, it sounds like you've never actually written a program past a basic "Hello World" demo, because that's not how it works. Among other things, you don't "export" a game from an IDE. Also, compiling software is done basically the same way regardless of whether or not the target platform is "PC", "PC-like", "ARM", or something completely different. There's no secret "magic" needed for making a Wii game, for example.

Never mind the fact that there are multi-platform game engines like Unity where switching between 3DS, Switch, Xbox One, etc. is as simple as selecting a different target platform.

tl;dr: The fact that a game will be ported to "PC" does not automatically imply that it will be coming to PS4 or Xbox One, regardless of how similar they are to "PC".

 

[s157]

Will a collector's edition be available? I doubt it but I'd still like to see it happen (bought the CE edition on Vita but I happen to like collecting these).

The Kiseki/Trails series are excellent games for when you want to get hit hard with jrpg nostalgia. Though to be fair, I'm a huge Falcom fanboy so my bias is through the roof.

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tl;dr: The fact that a game will be ported to "PC" does not automatically imply that it will be coming to PS4 or Xbox One, regardless of how similar they are to "PC".

Very true. However, if you want a console version of Trails of Cold Steel 3, I believe it's coming out for the PS4 first in Japan. Not sure if that version will be localized.

 

[DarkShinigami]

i believe a ps4 port is highly possible and likely. my reasoning is that these games has a carry over feature from the last game. if the 3rd comes out on ps4 then that would mean they will remove the feature or port the first 2 and keep the feature. unless they plan something evil like telling you you wanna carry over you need a vita and cross save but that won't happen.

 

[SS4]

Bought it on my PS3 when it was like 80% off on the PSN.
Damn PSN sales, i bought so many games on my PS3 because of those 80% off sales

 

[death360]

Welp another game added to the backlog.

 

[flame1234]

PC will be the best version as loading time is annoying in the PS3 version. I expect the PC version to load much faster. You might have as many as 5 hours fewer playtime just due to less loading.

You get 60 fps as well.

 

[Deleted User]

It would be smart to port on Nintendo Switch

 

[Hells Malice]

Cool. Good series, though I already have it for my vita.

But porting them is effortless, inexpensive and easy. I bet it will be announced until the end of E3. It would be stupid and a waste of resources / sales potential not to do it so it will happen.

Spoken like a true 12 year old without an ounce of real knowledge outside of your own uneducated, ignorant opinion.

 

[uyjulian]

PC will be the best version as loading time is annoying in the PS3 version. I expect the PC version to load much faster. You might have as many as 5 hours fewer playtime just due to less loading.

You get 60 fps as well.

loading times are fast on rpcs3

 

[Deleted User]

It would be smart to port on Nintendo Switch

PC has a larger userbase and is more of a set and forget scenario rather than having to fill shelves with copies

 

[anhminh]

It would be smart to port on Nintendo Switch

A Nintendo console getting cross-platform game?

Haha, nice joke.

 

[Deleted User]

Sweeeeeeet. 3rd is finally here!