The Eleventh JRPG In The Long-Running Series
Where does a story go when it has finished a massive arc that spans multiple games over multiple years? In most cases, a somewhat new beginning is the way: with new characters and a new area, but still set in the same universe and with slight mentions of events that took place during that series arc; this is the same way the latest Legend of Heroes game, Trails through Daybreak, has gone.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is the eleventh game in the long-running The Legend of Heroes: Trails sub-series. Trails Through Daybreak is the start of a new arc in the Trails series and introduces players to the Calvard Republic, an area referred to in previous entries but never traveled to until now. Trails through Daybreak begins in an entirely new area, making it a great starting point for players who have always been interested in the series but are too scared because of how reliant the stories were on previous entries.
Story
Trails through Daybreak follows Van Arkride, a Spriggian. Spriggians do the jobs most don’t want to do for whatever reason, whether in the grey area of the law or the Bracers won’t do it. One day, he is approached by Agnes, a young woman looking for ornaments called Oct-Genesis, created by her late grandfather.
Thinking this would be an easy and quick job, Van accepts and starts the job immediately. The job begins straightforward and, for the most part, easy until everything goes wrong, and what seemed like an easy job takes a turn for the worst with somebody dying.
Now, Van’s quick job has turned into a long one, and to make matters worse, he is stuck with Agnes as she takes a part-time job with him. The only good thing about this whole outcome is that Van will have consistent pay, and isn’t that what every young entrepreneur wants in their life? It is a classic RPG story of a small mission turning into something bigger that we all love.
Gameplay
Like the other games in the Trails series, Trails through Daybreak is a turn-based RPG with gameplay similar to previous entries. Orbments are still a big part of the game, but like every new game in the series, there is always some sort of new update to the orbments that adds some new gameplay elements as well as old features fans are familiar with.
The latest feature to the orbment system is the addition of real-time combat, which is also a first for the mainline series. Strangely enough, there is a reason for this new addition. The player is free to swap between turn-based and real-time. Turn-based is favoured in most cases as it is the only way to do arts and crafts and fight bosses, team-ups, and a whole manner when fighting turn-based battles.
The turn-based battles play mostly like other entries in the series, which is still great and fun. Real-time combat, on the other hand, isn’t as good as turn-based combat, but it is doable and mostly great for weaker enemies. I did enjoy the real-time combat for the most part. Still, it had nothing on the turn-based combat, which is the main draw of the series and where most of the game’s focus is, with the real-time stuff being an afterthought for something new to add to the series.
However, the option is still there for the most part, and gamers can choose which difficulty they want for both types of combat. Depending on the person, both types of combat can have two different difficulties, like turn-based on hard and real-time on medium, or however, you see fit and can be changed whenever.
New Place, same great game
One thing fans will notice straight away about Trails through Daybreak is that this is the first time the series goes to an all-new area, which is a nice change of pace if you have played the previous games in the series.
In the previous games, there were a lot of places players would have been through multiple times due to them being set in the same area, whereas Daybreak was a nice change of scenery with new places I had yet to explore, and it made me want to explore more compared to the other games as it was somewhere I haven’t been before.
I am the Law
One of my favourite things about the Trails series is how the games try to incorporate side quests into the main missions. What I mean by this is that a main mission may take a day or so, and during that day, your party can take on side quests, which can only be completed during that mission.
Trails through Daybreak keeps this tradition with a new spin on the point system, with the addition of a morality system that depends on what side quests you complete and the decision you make to complete it. For example, most quests give Van a choice on how he wants to solve it and whether he makes the lawful choice or the choice that isn’t so lawful.
With every choice, Van will earn points toward one of three categories: Law, Chaos, or Gray. In comparison, these three categories do not affect the story in any way; they allow Van to ally with certain fractions or unlock unique events or dialogue in some cases.
Activities Galore
It wouldn’t be a Trails game if it didn’t have a wide range of activities to do when you want a distraction from the main quest or side quests like cooking or new to the series. This side activity has Van connecting with key NPCs in the game like buying them gifts and earning special rewards like a permanent health boost. Then there is fishing, which… wait a minute, there is no fishing in this game, which is a breath of fresh air in a JRPG.
Three is a party
Another aspect fans have always loved about the Trails series is the party members. Daybreak once again has a wide assortment of great characters, but it also has those characters you can do without. It is classic RPG fare. Unlike the last few games in the series, Daybreak doesn’t throw an abundance of characters at the player with a full-fledged team from the start with some high level.
Instead, Daybreak is more of a back-to-the-basics RPG, with Van slowly introduced to characters in his party. For example, Van only has two party members in chapter 1. Eventually, the party will grow, which I prefer over having a somewhat capable team at the start.
Conclusion
Trails through Daybreak is another great game in the Trails series. If you are a gamer who has wanted to start this series, Daybreak is by far the best game for newbies as it begins in a new area, and there is no need to know much about the other games. Falcom has finally given gamers the perfect entry point to their twenty-year series, and if I am being honest, it may just be the best game in the series.
