The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero, known as Zero no Kiseki[lower-alpha 2] in Japan, is a 2010 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. Trails from Zero and its direct sequel, The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure (2011), form the "Crossbell arc". The game 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.

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
  • Aichiro Miyata
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
    • WW: 2022
  • PlayStation Vita
    • JP: October 18, 2012
  • PlayStation 4
    • JP: April 23, 2020
    • WW: 2022
  • Nintendo Switch
    • JP: February 25, 2021
    • WW: 2022
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Trails from Zero first released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable in 2010, with no release outside of Asia until an English release was announced over a decade later. Based on a fan translation, it is scheduled to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch in 2022.

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.

Release

Zero no Kiseki was released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable on September 30, 2010.[1] It was later ported to Microsoft Windows for release in China on August 28, 2011. This version was released in Japan on June 14, 2013.[2] It was also released for the PlayStation Vita in Japan on October 18, 2012, as Zero no Kiseki: Evolution. This version features improved visuals and more voice acting.[3] The Evolution version received a remaster for the PlayStation 4, releasing in Japan under the title Zero no Kiseki Kai on April 23, 2020.[4] It was released by Clouded Leopard Entertainment for the Nintendo Switch in Asia on February 25, 2021.[5]

A fan translation in English was released by a team known as "Geofront" on March 14, 2020.[6] In June 2021, it was announced that it would serve as the basis for the official English release scheduled for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows in 2022.[7]

Reception

Trails from Zero won the User Choice Award at the 2010 PlayStation Awards.[8] 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. 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. "The Legend of Heroes Zero no Kiseki to be Released on PC in Japan on 6/14". 19 April 2013.
  3. ""Zero no Kiseki: Evolution" for(PS Vita)". Falcom. Retrieved 2012-03-13.
  4. 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.
  5. Romano, Sal (February 2021). "The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki for Switch delayed to February 25 in Asia". Gematsu. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  6. Romano, Sal (9 March 2020). "The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki PC fan translation mod launches March 14". Gematsu. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  7. "The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero coming west in fall 2022 for PS4, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. June 25, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  8. "The Legend of Heroes "Zero no Kiseki" for PSP- Awards". Falcom. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
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