Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Deep Narrative
Strategic Combat
Occasional Repetition
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon delivers a deep, character-rich JRPG experience with methodical turn-based combat, an expansive world, and narrative depth that resonates with series fans even if its pace and structure feel old-school to some critics.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon's compelling journey into space builds an exciting launchpad for what will come next.
It's an excellent hybrid combat system that offers a good balance between both styles, certainly more so than Metaphor: ReFantazio.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
