#40
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd
YoY: NEW
The biggest chance in the list of my favourite games over the last few years has been increased presence of the Trails-series of games. I've played seven different games in the series, six of which are in my top 50, and the only one that isn't is off simply because I only finished it for the first time last week, so it'll probably make it in next year. Trails in the Sky the 3rd is the lowest ranking game from the franchise on my list, but I still obviously consider it an excellent game.
Serving as almost an epilogue to the first two games, Trails in the Sky the 3rd features a largely returning cast of characters, but the story is told from the point of view of one new character and one returning character who had previously been in a supporting role. The narrative is much more uneven than in the first two games, but features some genuinely heartbreaking and brilliant moments. The characters are excellent, and seeing many of these familiar character return after resolving the previous conflict at the end of the second game is always satisfying.
The battle system is also a lot of fun, and is surprisingly deep and tactical when you start going against some of the game's more difficult enemies. The soundtrack also maintains the high quality of the earlier titles, and contains numerous gorgeous themes, including the one below.
