Proper, first issues first, don’t play Trails past the Horizon if you have not already overwhelmed Trails by way of Dawn and Trails by way of Dawn 2.
Even by Trails requirements, Horizon is ridiculously dense; the occasions of this long-awaited sequel rely closely on you having intimate information of previous titles, and so even when you’ve got performed Dawn and Dawn 2, it is perhaps a good suggestion to observe a narrative recap earlier than you get caught in.
After all, the sheer heft of the sequence’ narrative — which now spans 13 (13!) video games — is each one among its best strengths and one its most off-putting points. However that is what makes a title like Horizon so completely distinctive; the place else are you going to discover a recreation constructed on over twenty years of interconnected storytelling?
Actually, Falcom’s unwavering dedication to the franchise borders on absurd at this level, however you have to respect simply how unapologetically impenetrable this newest instalment is. If ever there was a Trails title created for completely nobody however present followers, that is it.
Trails past the Horizon represents the end result of plot traces which have been stewing for a number of console generations, packed right into a roughly 80-hour journey cut up throughout three playable teams of characters.
At its core, Horizon is actually the third recreation within the aforementioned Dawn saga, sporting a continued concentrate on Van Arkride and his ragtag allies as they examine all kinds of unusual happenings in Calvard’s sprawling capital metropolis of Edith.
However on the similar time, Horizon incorporates numerous characters from older Trails titles, particularly the Chilly Metal video games. These nicely established heroes are introduced in to assist tie Horizon’s high-stakes story to the sequence’ broader, ongoing narratives, leading to a plot that is tackled from various attention-grabbing angles.
All of it will get off to a reasonably gradual begin, nonetheless. We would argue that the discharge’s opening act is basically its weakest, because it spends a bit an excessive amount of time making an attempt to reintroduce a frankly surprising variety of returning characters. Significantly, Van and the gang can barely stroll 5 toes with out yet one more previous pal hijacking the scene.
However push by way of these early pacing points and Horizon’s story actually begins to ramp up. In reality, we would be tempted to say that that is one among Falcom’s finest efforts almost about sustaining stress; nearly each chapter ends with a powerful bang, at all times retaining you guessing as to what the subsequent twist is perhaps.
The Japanese developer deserves an terrible lot of reward for simply how nicely it manages Horizon’s interlocking storylines. Granted, a few of the beats is usually a contact predictable — particularly when you’re acquainted with the sort of tropes the Trails video games are likely to fall again on — however Horizon definitely would not skimp on reveals and revelations of nice significance.
And we do not simply imply that from the angle of this one recreation — we’re speaking the whole franchise right here.
Certainly, the all-important world constructing that holds Trails collectively is expanded upon to a shocking diploma, giving welcome perception into issues that followers have been arguing over for ages. And in that sense, it is a significantly thrilling title in comparison with previous entries, which have — at instances — been accused of treading water on a wider narrative scale.
However do not get your hopes up an excessive amount of. Whereas Horizon does really feel like a particular level of no return for numerous story components, it is also eager to bolster the truth that issues are removed from over, posing loads of questions that the subsequent recreation(s) will try to reply. The top is in sight, however solely sort of.
It is about time we moved onto the gameplay facet of Horizon, however to be sincere, not an entire lot has modified since Dawn 2. The general construction of the sport stays in place, with outlined story chapters being damaged up between primary and facet aims, a wholesome chunk of exploration, and a smattering of more and more intense fight encounters.
Even the Marchen Garten — a considerably randomised, principally elective dungeon designed to be conquered over the course of the sport — returns, albeit with a brand new title. The refreshed Grim Garten has deeper connections to the precise plot, however its function is identical: that is the place you go while you need to discover new get together combos, degree up your characters, and grind for helpful tools.
Whereas a bit of repetitive, the Grim Garten offers what we predict is a needed, combat-driven diversion, away from the hours upon hours of dialogue that you will be sitting by way of outdoors.
Horizon can get so slowed down in character churn and exposition that the steadiness between yapping and precise gameplay can really feel means too one-sided. However fortunately, the Garten is at all times readily available to maintain you invested in all of these addictive RPG components.
Identical to in Dawn 2, you are given numerous get together members to develop and customise. Character builds can nonetheless vary from simplistic to extremely specialised, and there are such a lot of unlockable magic arts and passive perks to contemplate.
There are some actually participating techniques at play right here — a typical Trails trait at this level — and so they all reward the trouble that you simply’re prepared to place in.
However after we say that Horizon is dense, we additionally imply that from a gameplay perspective. Once more, Dawn-ers will really feel proper at dwelling, however particularly, new battle mechanics in some way carry much more choices to the desk.
For instance, ‘S-Boosts’ — a useful resource that builds up as you battle — can now be spent on party-wide buffs, that are like an evolution of the Courageous Orders from the Chilly Metal saga. Or, you possibly can gas new high-damage staff assaults along with your S-Enhance bars as an alternative.
In a nutshell, there’s a good higher emphasis on useful resource administration — particularly within the recreation’s more durable brawls. It would not really feel just like the underlying steadiness of fight has been rewired an excessive amount of, however there is a contemporary tactical flexibility in Horizon that is sure to entice returning gamers.
Having stated all of that, we nonetheless discover ourselves preferring the scaled-back, however brilliantly refined strategy of Trails within the Sky 1st Chapter’s fight system. Horizon’s complexity is a power as soon as you have wrapped your head round its inside workings, nevertheless it’s teetering on the sting of being needlessly convoluted.
And we can’t lie, we’re additionally lacking 1st Chapter’s immaculate presentation. Now, this is not essentially Falcom’s fault since Horizon launched in Japan again in 2024 — a full yr earlier than the Sky remake — however the easy reality is that it could possibly’t maintain a candle to what’s supplied by the most recent engine improve.
Environments proceed to look reasonably tough, and the NPCs that inhabit them will be ugly. However no less than Horizon’s received a bunch of recent fight and cutscene animations that rival these present in 1st Chapter. We’re hoping that Horizon’s sequel will give Calvard the glow up that it deserves.
