The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon [REVIEW] – A Wordy but Brilliant RPG Adventure 

Let’s be honest: explaining the Trails series to the uninitiated would probably make you sound like a conspiracy theorist connecting red string on a corkboard. We are thirteen games deep now, and even after playing them all, I still find myself perplexed as to what exactly is going on at times. Well, I’ve spent some time diving headfirst into The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon, and while I haven’t watched the credits roll just yet, I have clocked in over 40 hours… that’s enough time to realise that whilst the pacing of the game still feels like a bit of a commitment, developer Falcom have also managed to hook me all over again. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

If you’re thinking about jumping into the series right here with Trails Beyond the Horizon, just… don’t. If you’re a newbie, this game is absolutely not for you, and whilst Trails through Daybreak was a decent introduction for newcomers, Trails Beyond the Horizon is unapologetically impenetrable for the uninitiated. This game feels like it’s built for the those who know the geopolitical history of Zemuria better than their own country’s, with it not only expecting you to know Van and the Calvard crew, but also Rean Schwarzer from the Empire, Kevin Graham from the Church, and about fifty other people from the history of the series. It’s deep, and whilst there are elements of the storytelling that can be easy to follow, it really does feel like it was built for those who have a long-standing investment in the series. 

The premise this time around is surprisingly focused, with players finding themselves in the midst of a space race. President Gramheart wants to put people in the stars, and naturally, that freaks everyone out because the sky in this universe is… well… it’s a little complicated. The game splits the narrative into three routes to cover the anxiety leading up to the launch, with players seeing things out from the perspective of Van, Rean, and Kevin. 

The route split system here feels much more cohesive than the fragmented timeline seen in Trails through Daybreak II, and in fairness, it’s genuinely cool to see these legacy characters bouncing off each other in meaningful ways. Seeing Rean as an older, slightly more tired instructor, or having Kevin back in the spotlight after being sidelined for years, hits a specific nostalgia button that Falcom knows exactly how to press, but it does mean that everything is SO much more fleshed out than ever before. 

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is a big RPG – sometimes a little TOO big, especially with its dialogue – but ultimately, it makes for a brilliant experience.” 

There is a LOT of talking in Trails Beyond the Horizon. The Trails series has always been wordy, sure, but there are moments here where the pacing grinds to a complete halt because every single person in the party needs to chime in with a nod or a grunt of agreement. It feels like nobody is ever left out of a narrative sequence, even when they have nothing of real value to add, which results in scenes that stretch on WAY longer than they need to. I’m over 40 hours in, and I feel like a lot of that time has been spent being filled in on details that just weren’t always necessary. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not always a bad thing (the lore is fantastic and I adore the characters), but it can bring the pace down a fair bit. 

But then you get into the gameplay, and I remember why the text walls are worth it. The combat in Trails Beyond the Horizon is easily the best the series has ever seen, with the series taking the hybrid action/turn-based system from Trails through Daybreak and improving upon it in every way.  

The action mode actually feels viable now rather than just a way to smack enemies for a stunning advantage, whilst the new mechanics add a chaotically fun layer to the strategy. You’ve got ZOC (Zone of Control), which lets you stop time in the field or steal turns in command battles, as well as the Awakening modes, where characters like Van and Rean can transform and just wreck the house. They also brought back Orders from Trails of Cold Steel, but now enemies can use them too, leading to this tense tug-of-war over buffs… sure, it can be a little overwhelming at first (especially with the UI which is always packed with information) but once it clicks, it makes you feel like a tactical genius.  

Check out some screenshots down below: 

When you aren’t saving the world or reading a novel’s worth of text (sorry), you’re likely in the Grim Garten: the new version of the randomly generated dungeon hub. It’s got a weird, darker vibe this time, whilst it functions as a board game of sorts where you move an avatar around a grid. It’s a great place to turn your brain off, grind levels, and mess around with unique part compositions – but perhaps more importantly, it lets you have even more fun with the game’s satisfying combat. Along with the well-written (but very fetch-driven) side quests, it ensures there’s plenty of meat on Trails Beyond the Horizon’s bones. 

I have to give a massive shout-out to a specific quality-of-life change regarding the Grim Garten too, which lets you use points you earn to unlock the Connected Events you might have missed in your playthrough. It removes so much anxiety that’s tied to the series, and whilst it isn’t as natural as witnessing the events in-game, as a bit of a completionist, it’s something that I very much appreciate. 

Visually, it’s the best-looking game in the series, with the cutscene direction taking a massive leap forward, the combat animations looking dynamic and smooth, and the in-game textures and characters sharper than ever before. It’s still not as polished as some of the bigger name RPGs out there, but it looks great. The soundtrack is typical Falcom excellence too (especially the battle themes), whilst the English voice acting is top notch across the board. 

Developer: Falcom 
Publisher: NIS America 
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch 
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3316940/The_Legend_of_Heroes_Trails_beyond_the_Horizon/