Crucially, the sequel doesn’t just retread the ground that Zero established, but expands and embellishes on it. Trails to Azure also does a much better job of exploring the fringes and areas around Crossbell, shaking up the setting with new and interesting areas, like the dazzling theme park Michelam Wonderland. Chief among these is the West Zemuria Trade Conference, an economic meeting that brings the leaders of every country in Zemuria to Crossbell, and it helps set the stage for the story of the Trails of Cold Steel series. At multiple points, the SSS is forced to reckon with the consequences of their own actions and the role the police at large play in the city.Ĭrossbell politics also slide into focus more this time around, and that comes to a head with some of the best setpieces from the entire Trails series. Lloyd and the others realize that the mafia kept more insidious organizations in check and that the power vacuum leaves room for all sorts of new threats to emerge. One of the most interesting narrative themes Azure explores is the SSS coming to terms with their previous actions, particularly in dismantling the criminal mafia of Crossbell. The Mishelam Theme Park is one of the most interesting new locations in Azure, letting the gang unwind for some much-needed R&R. Azure even features a data carry-over option that changes certain event scenes based on your choices from Zero. For all intents and purposes, this feels less like a sequel and more like the “second half” of a singular story, and that means the drama and climaxes build up quickly. For better or worse, it spends very little time explaining concepts, organizations, and relationships, instead relying on players’ experience with Trails From Zero. Part of Azure’s strength is in its more effective pacing. They bring some dynamic new dimensions to the already stellar cast of Trails from Zero, and Wazy’s exaggerated personality plays especially well off the self-serious Lloyd. Azure builds on its characters assuming you remember their key developments from Zero, and that’s especially true of the SSS’s new recruit, the smarmy gang leader Wazy Hemisphere and the eager-to-please Guardian Force recruit Noel Seeker. Once again, the goal of the SSS is to forge connections with the various people and organizations of Crossbell, using those bonds to reestablish trust between citizens and Crossbell’s organizations, thus finding a way for the city to move forward.Īzure continues directly after Trails From Zero, so it picks up many different plot threads from the previous game, even in side quests. The members of the SSS have initially scattered to take on individual tasks and training, but it doesn’t take long for the team to assemble with a few new recruits. The story picks up just after the end of Trails From Zero, with Lloyd and a few others tracking down remnants of the fanatical D∴G cult from the first game. Trails to Azure continues the story of rookie detective Lloyd Bannings and the Special Support Section (SSS) of the Crossbell Police Department. Noel and Wazy are two new party members that add fascinating dimensions to the already-vibrant SSS, and Wazy, in particular, fits into the overall Trails series in an interesting way.
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