While there hasn't been any official announcement concerning a Western localization of the PS4 remasters, there are still slivers of hope that the games could see the light of day outside of Japan. The latest iterations, titled Zero no Kiseki Kai and Ao no Kiseki Kai, are coming to PlayStation 4 exclusively in Japan and include upgraded visuals, Japanese voice acting, turbo mode, a 60 FPS framerate and several easter eggs to tie them in even further to future games in the series.
In fact, there have already been two separate remasters of the fan-favorite duology since Zero no Kiseki first launched on the PSP back in 2010. The odd thing is, developer Falcom has been no stranger to re-releasing both of these games in the years since their original debut. Related: Final Fantasy VII Remake: Five JRPGs To Try After Square Enix's Latest The events that unfold in Crossbell introduce major revelations that tie directly into recently localized games like Trails of Cold Steel III and the upcoming Trails of Cold Steel IV, meaning fans are expected to be familiar with these story threads and characters without actually being able to play the games they originated from. The overarching storyline follows a huge cast of characters from across the continent of Zemuria, and each of their story arcs has lasting implications on future games in the series.
While other JRPG series like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest don't require players to have pre-existing knowledge of previous games, The Legend of Heroes relies on it for some of its biggest reveals and character developments. He's joined by his colleagues Ellie McDowell, Randy Orlando and Tio Plato as they uncover a hidden plot taking place behind the scenes that threatens the safety and autonomy of Crossbell and its people. The story follows protagonist Lloyd Bannings, a rookie investigator for the Crossbell police department in search of the truth behind his brother's death three years prior. Officially titled Zero no Kiseki and Ao no Kiseki respectively, this two-part story arc takes place in the independent city-state of Crossbell, where two adjacent superpowers are constantly fighting over ownership of the tiny country. Related: Final Fantasy VII Remake Vs Persona 5 Royal: Which JRPG Is Right for You? And yet with all the praise Falcom has received for their efforts from their rapidly growing fan base, it has yet to localize two titles that are absolutely crucial to understanding future events in the series' ongoing narrative: Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure, otherwise known as the Crossbell duology. The positive commercial and critical success of the series has led to a relatively short turn-around time for English translations of new entries, with the latest title Trails of Cold Steel IV coming to Western audiences just two years after its initial release date in Japan. Fans of the long-running series have praised its persistent overarching storyline, immersive and detailed settings, masterful character development (right down to the NPCs) and a unique battle system that blends elements of a grid-based RTS with more traditional turn-based RPG trappings. Nihon Falcom's epic, generation-spanning series The Legend of Heroes has been slowly picking up steam in Western territories over the last few years, as the combined localization efforts of publishers Xseed Games and NIS America have done an excellent job of introducing the titles to a broader audience outside Japan.