The Legend of Heroes: Kai No Kiseki Steam Deck Impressions – PC Port Features, ROG Ally Performance, and More

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The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki – Farewell, O Zemuria” – A Look at the Clouded Leopard Entertainment’s PC Release

Before diving into this article, it is essential to clarify that NIS America has announced their localization of the game as “Trails beyond the Horizon.” This means that there will be two separate releases for the same game, each with different ports and supported languages. I aim to avoid confusion among readers who may not be familiar with how this series is managed. The focus of this article is on the PC port of Kai no Kiseki from Clouded Leopard Entertainment.

As a long-time player of Falcom PC ports, dating back to Trails in the Sky SC’s release in 2015, I’ve been intrigued to explore how other publishers adapt these games for non-Western markets. When Sen no Kiseki KAI (Trails of Cold Steel) came out on PC from Clouded Leopard Entertainment, my curiosity got the better of me and I purchased it. Although I already owned Trails of Cold Steel from XSEED Games on Steam, I was keen to compare the two versions. Unfortunately, the initial port didn’t live up to expectations. However, since then, Clouded Leopard Entertainment has significantly improved their PC releases. The recent trailer for Kai no Kiseki, showcasing features like DLSS and Steam Deck compatibility, actually sparked my interest in writing about the updated port.

An additional point to keep in mind: The Legend of Heroes: Kai No Kiseki -Farewell, O Zemuria-, available on Steam, does not provide English or Japanese text support. Instead, it supports Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese languages. Since I don’t comprehend any of these languages, I’ve been utilizing my understanding of PC ports and a translation app for the settings screen, with confirmation from a friend who speaks Korean. This piece will concentrate on the PC port and its performance across different systems. Please note that this is not a review of the game itself. If you’re interested in learning more about the game, you can find an extensive analysis by James here.




The Legend of Heroes: Kai No Kiseki PC graphics options

In the Screen Settings (found in the second tab of options), you’ll find both Display and Graphics options for Kai no Kiseki. The Display settings allow you to customize the graphics quality (ranging from Steam Deck to very high), select display modes (such as borderless, fullscreen, or windowed), adjust aspect ratios (choose between 16:10, 16:9, and 21:9), set rendering resolution, turn on or off v-sync, and limit the frame rate (options include 30, 60, 120, 240 fps, or uncapped).

In terms of graphical customizations, you have the flexibility to adjust shadow detail, anti-aliasing (turn off, FXAA, upscaling), upscaling technique (FSR, XeSS, DLSS), upscaling level (performance, balanced, quality, ultra quality for FSR and XeSS), turn on/off Screen Space Ambient Occlusion (SSAO) and Screen Space Global Illumination (SSGI), control texture quality, field of view, and foliage density. Additionally, under the Screen Settings section, you can opt to pause when the window is inactive, choose your graphics card, and see which graphics card is currently in use.




The Legend of Heroes: Kai No Kiseki PC control options

In the control settings of Kai no Kiseki’s PC version, you have the flexibility to customize high-speed modes for both field battles and command battles independently. Furthermore, you can configure the turbo/high-speed mode to be activated by either holding a button or simply pressing it. This port supports various input devices such as keyboards, mice, and controllers. Although you cannot reassign every single control, the control options offered in this version surpass my expectations.












The Legend of Heroes: Kai No Kiseki Steam Deck performance

In the PC version of Kai no Kiseki, if played on a Steam Deck, certain settings such as graphics preset and display mode will be locked, but you can adjust the resolution among 800p, 1080p, and 1440p. If playing in handheld mode, it will downsample from higher resolutions. This is beneficial for docked play. However, note that Kai no Kiseki may not reach the 90fps locked on Steam Deck when played on an OLED model. A simple fix is to cap the frame rate at 60fps, but running it at 60fps on a 90hz display can cause frame pacing issues. To avoid this, set the screen to 60hz on the OLED model for a smoother experience with proper frame pacing. Keep in mind that achieving a locked 60fps outside dungeons without heavy upscaling might not be possible. Lastly, the port by Clouded Leopard Entertainment also supports the 16:10 aspect ratio on the Steam Deck’s screen during gameplay. Menus and cut-scenes are in 16:9 format as usual.

The Legend of Heroes: Kai No Kiseki Steam Deck recommended settings

Clouded Leopard Entertainment has delivered a commendable performance with the Steam Deck version of Kai no Kiseki. Contrary to some developers who announce Steam Deck compatibility as a marketing tactic without delivering, this game actually performs well on the Steam Deck. I wasn’t expecting 60fps due to the previous Trails through Daybreak port’s difficulty in consistently hitting that locked frame rate, and Kai no Kiseki being more demanding, but overall I’m satisfied with the PC port.

Due to Kai no Kiseki’s PC version recognizing the Steam Deck and limiting certain options, I suggest keeping the default settings as they are. However, if you want to achieve a smooth 60 frames per second (fps), utilize the Steam Deck OLED’s quick access menu and set it to 60Hz. This issue doesn’t arise with the LCD model. If you wish to exceed 60fps, you’ll need to activate the performance upscaling setting and lower some settings. Achieving 90fps is possible only in closed areas or less crowded scenes outside of regular gameplay.

When discussing achieving a 60fps gameplay, you might need to implement resolution scaling. If you don’t scale the resolution, it may dip as low as the mid-50s even in the early stages of exploration and down to the 40s during intense visual effects. To enjoy a smooth 60fps experience on Steam Deck in handheld mode, I suggest setting the game at either Balanced FSR or XeSS. However, for the most optimal balance between performance and image quality, try aiming for 45fps at 90hz on the OLED screen of the Steam Deck, or 40fps on its LCD screen. There might be minor dips when transitioning into crowded areas with numerous NPCs, but it’s nothing too significant.
















The Legend of Heroes: Kai No Kiseki ROG Ally impressions

Typically, I conduct tests on my ROG Ally device, keeping it in 25W mode and setting its VRAM to 5GB system-wide. It’s intriguing, if slightly frustrating, that the game on ROG Ally doesn’t provide any upscaling options; there are only choices for FXAA or no anti-aliasing. However, running at a resolution of 720p offers a smooth 60fps experience, even in outdoor environments. Unfortunately, the Steam Deck struggles without upscaling in these situations. Indoor locations such as dungeons perform well above 60fps when played at 720p, maintaining a consistent low 60s even during intense particle-heavy scenes.

To enjoy a visually superior experience with an acceptable 30fps frame rate, it’s recommended to run the game at resolutions higher than the Steam Deck preset. However, keep in mind that you won’t get much more than this frame rate. This setup offers a significantly improved visual quality compared to playing on the Steam Deck, and currently represents the best portable version of Kai no Kiseki available, even though it targets 30fps.



The Legend of Heroes: Kai No Kiseki on a high end gaming PC

In the particular aspect of my project, James provided assistance since he owns a high-end gaming setup, which includes a 5090 graphics card, 64GB RAM, and a 9800x3D processor. He ran tests on Kai no Kiseki’s initial scenes using various upscaling options at both 8K and 4K resolutions. Below are the test results, showcased in screenshots within the prologue section.

Kai no Kiseki high end PC testing at max settings
ResolutionDLSS settingsFrame rate
8KOff88fps
8KQuality101fps
8KPerformance180fps
4KOff256fps

Initially, as I delved into developing this particular feature and examining the connection, it stood out primarily due to DLSS, XeSS, and FSR integrations. Recently, Clouded Leopard Entertainment has enhanced the PC version of Trails Through Daybreak II for the Western market, incorporating those technologies. It’s heartening to observe that the quality of their Trails port, since the release of Sen no Kiseki KAI years ago, has significantly improved. In fact, for gamers who prefer Korean or Chinese versions on Steam, this iteration provides an excellent play experience. Although there were initial hiccups, such as the original Ys X release, the quality of Clouded Leopard Entertainment’s ports for Falcom’s games has markedly improved with each new release.

Title “The Legend of Heroes: Kai No Kiseki” is now accessible on Steam from Clouded Leopard Entertainment, offering Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese language options. On the other hand, “The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon,” a new localized version by NIS America, will be available this Fall on Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, and PH3 platforms apart from consoles in the Western market.

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2025-04-01 17:56