The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon isn’t exactly an ideal entry point if you’re jumping into the Trails series from scratch—just like the other eight games before it. That said, it easily stands as one of the strongest entries in the franchise. With its quality-of-life improvements and a roster of returning characters, it delivers a refined, confident Trails experience that knows exactly what it’s doing.”

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“The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon isn't the most gripping narrative, in part due to how much it relies on knowledge of so many other games to fully understand. What it does do right, though, is that it's an incredibly fun and addictive JRPG experience that I couldn't get enough of.”

“A truly engrossing RPG, The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon is the best game in the Calvard arc yet and a must-play for series fans!”

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is a bittersweet ending to a story that started over 20 years ago. Beyond the Horizon has mastered its combat system, offering a near-perfect balance between action and turn-based combat. Meanwhile, the story at times had me glued to the screen. It's just a shame some of the franchise's most glaring issues still haven't been addressed, and the game's pacing could have used a lot more work.”

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon bends and cracks under the weight of what it must carry as we begin the final chapters of this massive story. But its components-familiar and new-hold up well enough to entertain those who have followed the series so far.”

“It's an excellent hybrid combat system that offers a good balance between both styles, certainly more so than Metaphor: ReFantazio.”

“But I wish so much time wasn’t wasted on achingly boring expository setup, non-optional side content with next to no substance, and a combat system that’s in the middle of an identity crisis. Falcom has done a lot more with a lot less in the past, and all this excess is wearing me down.”

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon's compelling journey into space builds an exciting launchpad for what will come next.”

“Trails beyond the Horizon is one of the most impactful games in Falcom's series to date, dealing in world-altering revelations and truly dramatic story developments. For Trails fans who have come this far, Horizon has the potential to blow you away - but you need to be ready for hours of character recaps and exposition before things really start to ramp up.”

“All in all, The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon is a great entry in the franchise. It sounds good, looks good, and the narrative is truly kicking into gear. New players will definitely be confused, but this is the thirteenth game in the series. Just play the rest, I promise they’re good too.”

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is the pinnacle of Trails storytelling alongside the best evolution of the hybrid action turn-based combat.”

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through the Horizon is the franchise's first step into its endgame, and for the most part, it sticks the landing admirably. The gameplay hasn't changed much from the previous entries, but the overall storytelling and character beats are a massive step up from Daybreak 2. Its biggest flaws are some overall slow pacing and the fact that you'll need a lot of prior Trails knowledge to feel invested in the game. It's nothing that would stop longtime fans from having fun. The whole franchise is available now, so it's the best time to catch up - until the next main game comes out, that is.”

“Trails Beyond the Horizon is another solid new entry in the long-running series and feels like a firm step forward, even if it's not quite as big a step as some may have hoped. Though the story can be uneven, it's buoyed by a strong and diverse cast that keeps you invested and reminds you how all the work Falcom has been putting in over the years has ultimately been pushing towards something.Couple its engaging (if sometimes slow) narrative with polished graphics, deep character customisation, and a dynamic combat system, and you've got a great and ambitious JRPG that especially stands out in these relatively early days of the Switch 2 library. I'd give this one a strong recommendation to series fans, as it really does feel like a step up from Daybreak II. Newcomers, though, will want to give this one a pass until they've played the previous two Daybreak games, at least.”

“Eventually, I do hope to circle back to Trails Beyond the Horizon, with a nice full notebook and a character interaction chart that makes Xenoblade Chronicles X's look small. The systems are fun to interact with - when they're not trapping me in what is supposed to be a horror game - and I want to be able to fully follow what's going on. Even if it takes me 700 hours across Switch 2, my PC, and a Steam Deck to get there.”

“While Trails Beyond the Horizon excels especially in its combat and RPG systems, it also succeeds with its main story and side content, such as the Grim Garten, character relationship system, and side quests that all tell unique stories worth listening to. Trails Beyond the Horizon is a game that deserves recognition and is up there with some of the best the genre has to offer.”