also a slow burn, but the end is worth it even more

YEAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trails in the Sky returns with yet another amazing entry that should serve as an example for any studio aiming to create a great JRPG. Let's dive into the good and the bad.

- Excellent characters: I can't emphasize enough how special each character feels. Trails in the Sky SC does its best to give all of them equal spotlight, making each a potential fan favorite.

- Compelling storyline: The narrative has its fair share of twists and turns. While it can feel a bit slow at times, the buildup consistently leads to something so engaging that it pays off in the end.

- Fun gameplay: The gameplay offers decent depth, especially considering the time of its release. While it’s not groundbreaking, it has plenty of charm.

- Great music: The soundtrack is excellent, though I wish there was more variety. Most of the OST is carried over directly from FC.

- Reused assets: About 80% of the game takes place on the FC map, and most enemies are palette swaps of older ones. Personally, I didn’t mind, but I know some players care about this kind of repetition.

- Abundance of dialogue: There’s a lot of dialogue. I’m listing this as neutral because it’s a matter of personal preference. Personally, I enjoyed it, but I understand it could be off-putting for some.

- Side quests: These are hit or miss. Some are genuinely fun, featuring witty dialogue and interactions, while others feel like filler, boring fetch quests that can also be hard to locate.

- Underwhelming villains: While their motives are valid, they all follow the same pattern of saying, “Oh wow, you might be decent, too bad I wasn’t even at full power,” before retreating. This undermines the power scaling and makes it feel odd when you eventually beat them.

- Lack of guidance: The game NEVER helps you. It's unforgiving when it comes to earning BP through hidden quests and choices, and rarely guides you to your next destination. However, I guess this is to be expected for a game from 2006.

- Missables and collectibles: There are a LOT of missable items and collectibles, some of which are extremely hard to find. Achieving 100% completion without a guide is nearly impossible. In fact, I strongly recommend playing with a guide, it enhances the experience significantly.

In my opinion, the positives heavily outweigh the negatives in this game. It isn’t perfect by any means, but I thoroughly enjoyed playing it. If you enjoy a good story and turn-based combat, this game is for you. Otherwise, you might find something more suited to your tastes elsewhere.

Final Score: 9/10

P.S.
PLAY THIS GAME WITH THE EVO VOICEOVER!!!
Look up "SkyInstaller" and make sure to get the EVO voiceover for all three games!
See you on the Trails in the Sky: The 3rd's page! (Soon.)