NIS America announces The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III to release in North America and Europe in Fall 2019 for PlayStation 4
NIS America has announced that they will release The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III for PlayStation 4 in North America and Europe in Fall 2019. NIS America will also be holding a panel regarding the game at PAX South tomorrow on January 18 at 11 AM CST. Trails of Cold Steel III originally released in Japan in September 2017.
NIS America also states that this release will see the return of certain English localization staff that have worked on previous titles in the series. The game supports both English and Japanese voice overs with English and French text options. An English website can be found here.
About the game:
Nearly a year and a half has passed since the Erebonian civil war, and much has changed since then. From the shifting stances of countries to the internal politics of the Empire, and even the life of Rean Schwarzer, the shadows of the past have given way to the embers of a new chapter. Now graduated from Thors Military Academy, Rean has become an instructor at the Thors Branch Campus, a newly-opened academy that quickly finds itself thrust onto the national stage. It is here that he takes the lead of a brand new Class VII, and must guide a new generation of heroes into an unknown future. Though all is calm now, the nefarious Ouroboros organization continues to weave a dark plot that could engulf the entire continent in war...or perhaps something even more sinister.
Trails of Cold Steel III invites players into a world full of intrigue and excitement that is years in the making. They will embark on a whirlwind tour through the never-before-seen lands of the recently expanded Erebonian countryside, and encounter fresh faces as well as old friends familiar to fans of the series. In true Trails fashion, the deep, engaging story pairs with an incredible cast of characters and a combat system refined over decades of innovative RPG worldbuilding. This renowned title has also now been developed natively for PlayStation®4 hardware, a series first.
Key Features:
Welcome to the New Class VII – Explore the newly annexed lands of the Empire with a brand new squad, and catch up with familiar faces from the past.
An Immersive Story – Experience an epic story developed across three titles, and crafted for new and old fans alike. Also includes an interactive introduction to catch up new players to the ongoing story so anyone can dive right in to the world of Trails of Cold Steel.
Combat Honed to a Fine Edge – Challenge oncoming threats with a combat system that has been refined over the course of decades. The addition of features like Brave Order and the Break System opens up new possibilities in battle.
XSEED Games had previously handled the localization and publishing of the series, including the previous two titles in the Cold Steel sub-series. XSEED isn't completely divorced from the franchise yet, however, as they are releasing PlayStation 4 enhanced ports of the first two Cold Steel titles soon in 2019.
NIS America previously handled the localization of Nihon Falcom's other flagship franchise with Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana in 2017. This was not a smooth endeavor, however, as Ys VIII suffered a poor initial localization that had to be significantly overhauled, as well as a troubled PC port that met several delays and patches. One can hope that Trails of Cold Steel III's eventual release won't be as problematic.
We recently had the opportunity to visit NIS America's offices in LA, where we got the chance to get a look at some of their upcoming games - including a brief teaser for Trails of Cold Steel III. While more information regarding the localization will be revealed during the company's PAX South panel on Friday, we were told that players should expect news regarding who will be helming the title's translation, with an emphasis on NISA bringing aboard talent that already has experience with the series, to "help contextualize, translate and localize the title".
The release doesn't appear to be rushed at this point, which is as good a sign as any. That being said, we're as much in the dark as anyone else when it comes to the specifics of the translation - so we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for NISA's panel tomorrow for more details.
Thors Academy Edition and Early Enrollment Edition
In usual NIS America fashion, a special edition of the game will be available on NIS America's storefront. The Cold Steel III special edition is called the Thors Academy Edition, which is priced at $99.99.
This Thors Academy Edition includes:
- The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III for PS4™
- Intelligence Division Files Hardcover Art Book
- Symphony of Class VII
- Einhel Keep Collector's Box
- SteelBook
- 5 Postcards
- Mishy Plushie
An Early Enrollment Edition will also be available, which includes both a 5-track soundtrack sampler and an art book. This looks to be a pre-order or first-print bonus for the game, although details are not yet clear.
