Trails to Azure Review (PS4) | Push Square
The second and final game in the 'Crossbell' saga, Trails to Azure executes on everything that Trails from Zero meticulously built up. It immediately goes without saying that you simply must play Zero before jumping into this direct sequel — but don't let the daunting prospect of playing two 60-hour RPGs put you off. When viewed as two parts of one big story, Zero and Azure make for a brilliantly engrossing experience.
We'd go as far to claim that this is a near perfect sequel. While Azure does reuse a lot of Zero's assets — there are only a handful of new environments to explore, for example — the storytelling hits some incredible highs here, taking plot points and character-driven developments from the first game and running with them. The narrative payoff is genuinely outstanding at times.
Once again, you fill the well-worn shoes of the Special Support Section (SSS for short) — a ragtag team of not-quite-rookie cops. Following on from the events of Zero, the SSS find themselves in high demand, but their newfound fame hasn't changed the way that they operate. Protagonist Lloyd Bannings and his buddies are still fully committed to safeguarding their beloved Crossbell — a technologically advanced city-state that's sandwiched between two supremely powerful nations.
Political tensions are at an all-time high throughout Azure, and the game does an amazing job of setting the scene. It gives you glimpses of the wider world from Crossbell's unique perspective, and with an all-important trade conference scheduled to soon take place on Crossbell soil, you just know that the city's relative peace isn't going to last.
Despite the looming threats, the SSS are still on hand to solve local issues. From slaying pesky monsters to
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