The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak Reviews

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is ranked in the 93rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
90 / 100
Jul 16, 2024

With an epic plot and a neat combat system that blends the best of turn-based and real-time combat, Trails Through Daybreak is a welcome new entry in the long-standing Legend of Heroes series from Falcom. The best part? You don't need to play through the past Legend of Heroes games as Trails Through Daybreak is a great starting point, featuring new and likeable characters, as well as a fun battle system to get into, all the while complementing its world-spanning plotlines.

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Jul 12, 2024

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak stands tall as one of the best games in the series and one of the best games of the year, despite the dearth of great JRPGs we've gotten this year.

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4 / 5.0
Jul 4, 2024

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is yet another contemporary classic. Starting a fresh storyline after four games in a row and a reunion sequel is hardly an easy task, but Nihon Falcom pulled it off well. Even while the LGC alignment method is brilliant, it might be too ambitious, and engagement could suffer due to the lack of difficulty in battle. In any case, the following titles may address these concerns. Though longtime and new fans of The Legend of Heroes will certainly find unique change in almost every imaginable area of The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak.

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Jul 11, 2024

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is an outstanding RPG and an exciting start to the Calvard arc. It has a mature story that’s accessible to newcomers, interesting characters, beautiful visuals, a stellar soundtrack, a unique hybrid combat system that caters to both action and turn-based fans, and an exceptional localization made with care and respect. Combine all these elements and you get an experience that is sure to grip you and not let go. It was so close to perfection, but the barebones Field Battle mode and lack of minigames held it back from that exclusive class. I highly recommend this game to long time Trails fans and even newcomers who love RPGs. This was an unforgettable experience and I’m definitely looking forward to the next game in Van’s story.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 10, 2024

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak introduces a new arc to the franchise with an approach centered on the protagonist, the spriggan Van Arkride. The title stands out as an excellent RPG that explores the conflicting interests of the multiple factions that coexist in Calvard and brings with it a new system that makes the experience closer to a hybrid of action and turn. It's easily one of the best games in the franchise and an excellent way to give a headstart to Calvard's story.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8.4 / 10.0
Jul 11, 2024

Trails through Daybreak is the most accessible entry in the Legends of Heroes series and shows that it doesn't have to hide behind genre peers. Fun and varied battles, a well-developed story with an incredibly detailed world and charming characters will not let you go so quickly. If you haven't played Trails before, you should pick it up and not be put off by the many text boxes, the somewhat confusing quartz systems and the somewhat outdated graphics. Off to Calvard!

Review in German | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2024

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak brings a fresh start to the Trails series with its new Calvard arc. Featuring an ambitious narrative, innovative gameplay systems, and a compelling new protagonist, Van Arkride, this entry captivates both new and returning players. Despite some issues with difficulty and the LGC alignment system, Daybreak stands out as a remarkable and modern addition to Falcom's storied catalog.

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Worth your time
Jul 4, 2024

The Legend of Heroes gets an exciting new chapter with a much darker story in Trails through Daybreak.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 20, 2022

An epic story born by brand-new heroes in a brand-new region. There have been multiple tweaks and even the vibe seems a bit more ‘hard-boiled’ than the original. Newly designed characters by Katsumi Enami are stylish as ever. Each of the characters shows just the right amount of chemistry to entertain us all. Although some of the janky graphics and motions were something we didn’t want to see, but with a hint of positivity, since it's showing 'trail

Review in Korean | Read full review

10 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2024

Trails through Daybreak is a triumph for both long-time fans and newcomers to the series. For veterans, it builds upon and expands nearly every aspect that makes the series great, from its intricate storytelling to its deep character development and strategic gameplay. For new players, while it’s a challenge to dive into such a complex series, the game makes a commendable effort to provide an accessible starting point into the rich world and lore without feeling overwhelmed.

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Jun 28, 2024

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak serves as a brilliant introduction to the Republic of Calvard, the setting for what appears to be the most exciting Trails story arc yet. Van Arkride explores the gray areas of Calvardian society alongside allies that are just as tough and driven. The game's story is complemented by a revamped combat system that retains the identity of Trails, and there's of plenty of improvements made that make this one of the best Trails games to date.

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4.5 / 5.0
Jun 28, 2024

Offering an incredibly welcome refresh for the series with its story, cast, and gameplay, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is a delightful way to re-enrapture existing fans while being an excellent opportunity for newcomers to get on board.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2024

Trails Through Daybreak is the strong start to a new chapter that The Legend of Heroes franchise needed.

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8 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2024

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak made for a rather enjoyable playthrough that was hard carried by its main party and how fun combat was. I also like that it trims some of the fat that had begun building with the bloated previous arc. This is one of the best put-together Trails games in a long time, complete with some solid cutscene choreography and a near-seamless feeling of play in between combat and cutscenes.

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Recommended
Jun 28, 2024

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is another hit in the beloved series, delivering a darker narrative, revamped combat, and an excellent cast of characters. It has a ton to offer to both new players and existing fans of the series.

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