Support NeoGAF

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

There's nothing else like it in Japanese role-playing games.

It's just an endless list of highly enjoyable characters.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

 

[mayham2199]

Man I'm going out of town at the end of the month in July. I'll have to pick this up after I get back I don't want to have to stop mid way through and not finish. Going to try and get the plat this time if I can. I've always wanted to get the plat in one of these games at least. Almost did it trails into reverie but missed a chest at the beginning of the game.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

'I see I maid it in time'.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Not specifically related to the upcoming Trails through Daybreak release but...

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

80 more days to go!

 

[Kataploom]

They picked the worst possible name for non-English speakers, damn

 

[Kataploom]

Wait isn't this the first one in this arc?

Does it mean it still requires playing the others to get context or it's a completely new universe ala Final Fantasy and Tales of?

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Is she the best girl, NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt ?

 

[mayham2199]

Does it mean it still requires playing the others to get context or it's a completely new universe ala Final Fantasy and Tales of?

From my experience it will eventually require you to play the other games. Usually the first 1 or 2 games in a new arc will be separated enough so that it's ok to start there. After that they tend to pull a lot of characters and plots from previous games. Then again I haven't played this arc so that might have changed with this one.

 

[Kataploom]

From my experience it will eventually require you to play the other games. Usually the first 1 or 2 games in a new arc will be separated enough so that it's ok to start there. After that they tend to pull a lot of characters and plots from previous games. Then again I haven't played this arc so that might have changed with this one.

Thanks, I'll prob start in order lol

 

[Deerock71]

Spinoff

Legend of Nayuta Boundless Trails

Absolute gem!

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

Is she the best girl, NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt ?

They are all BEST girls

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

Absolute gem!

I still have to play that

Heard that one is great

 

[mayham2199]

@jshackles



Spinoff

Legend of Nayuta Boundless Trails

It's been confirmed though that this game isn't part of the overall story correct?

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

Thick Thighs Save Lives

You're in for a treat

The Kuro No Kiseki games have the best cast and story since the Trails In The Sky games

I can't wait for Kuro No Kiseki III

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Thick Thighs Save Lives

You're in for a treat

The Kuro No Kiseki games have the best cast and story since the Trails In The Sky games

I can't wait for Kuro No Kiseki III

Looking forward to whenever I get to it, which will probably be sometime next year.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

Looking forward to whenever I get to it, which will probably be sometime next year.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

So many good games, but so little time...

 

[graywolf323]

I feel you there, I’m just about to finish Azure and then I have the entire Cold Steel arc to get through + Reverie

I just wrapped up Cold Steel 1 this evening

I doubt I’m on track to be caught up by the time of Daybreak’s release but given I only finally started the Kiseki series in earnest early last year (with Sky FC) I feel pretty good about my progress so far (especially since I’m not exactly great at finishing games )

 

[sigmaZ]

They are all BEST girls

Preorder confirmed.

 

[digital_ghost]

The one Xbox Trails fan:

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

 

[mayham2199]

I just wrapped up Cold Steel 1 this evening

I doubt I’m on track to be caught up by the time of Daybreak’s release but given I only finally started the Kiseki series in earnest early last year (with Sky FC) I feel pretty good about my progress so far (especially since I’m not exactly great at finishing games )

Yea that's great progress. I finished FC and took another year to beat the second one. Then I started Cold Steel and slowly made my way through those games. 3 and 4 I did back to back because I was so desperate to see what happened which I regret doing.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

 

[graywolf323]

Yea that's great progress. I finished FC and took another year to beat the second one. Then I started Cold Steel and slowly made my way through those games. 3 and 4 I did back to back because I was so desperate to see what happened which I regret doing.

I’m taking a bit of a break right now after reaching the Reverie Corridor in the epilogue for 2, it seems like it’ll be a bit of a grind though I’m planning to tackle it this weekend

I have a week off work at Memorial Day and I might try to start up 3 at that point, gonna play some Hades II this next week as a palette cleanser

 

[yurqqa]

Is it more teenage drama full of pathos and harem, like Cold steel, or more believable people interaction, like Trails games before that ?

 

[PonyStation4]

Is it more teenage drama full of pathos and harem, like Cold steel, or more believable people interaction, like Trails games before that ?

There's no teenage drama or any kind of harem. The main character is 24 years old and is focused on his job

 

[yurqqa]

There's no teenage drama or any kind of harem. The main character is 24 years old and is focused on his job

Thank you. That's great to hear.

I just decided to finally play till the end Trails of Cold steel II (that I dropped twice before that) between Zero and Azure (without Epilogue not to spoil anything) and it was really painful. In the end I just skipped the dialogues completely.

It was so great going back to Azure from THAT.

 

[foamdino]

Is this one of those series where it's simply not possible to enjoy if you jump in at say Trails of Cold Steel 3 & 4 (there's a double package available for ps5)?

I don't mind playing older games and I'm not a gfx whore but I'm wary of such a vast series of games spanning so much time and all the advice I can see online splits into either:
* just start with whatever in the cold steel series and if you get lost then you'll have to go back and play <specific game x> or
* you must start right at the beginning and play in order or you're literally evil incarnate

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Here's the opening animation:



Oh and it looks like a demo is coming next week for PS4 and Switch.

Deets via Noisy Pixel:

NIS America has posted a new trailer for the Western release of The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak ahead of its July 2024 launch, showcasing the opening movie.

The publisher confirmed that a demo of the game would be released on June 4, 2024, for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. The former will only contain the prologue, while the latter will also feature the first chapter.

Of course, the PlayStation 4 demo will be playable on PlayStation 5. The reasoning provided for the Switch’s smaller demo is due to demo size limitations.

Saved data from the demo will be transferable to the full release.

 

[Kazdane]

I will openly blame GAF on this. Right now I'm playing Persona 5 Royal because I loved Persona 4 Golden. I thought Persona 4 would be the kind of game I couldn't possibly enjoy, because the idea of following a year-long life of a student would be boring (but P4G has an amazing story, and P5R so far is also stellar). And I've seen so many recommendations here for Persona, Ys and Trails, that now I'm actually looking forward to playing this one too, because it looks great (in fact, my backlog for the next months is P5R, Persona 3 Reload and then either Ys or Trails, right from the beginning).

So, from the heart:

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Made a separate thread with the previews that dropped yesterday but it didn't get any traction so I'll be sharing the content here as well.

Previews:​

Noisy Pixel

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is an ambitious breakthrough for this storied franchise, with its gameplay identity taking centerstage above all else. Every facet has been handled in such a way as to appeal to a vaster pool of players than ever before. So, if you're even remotely intrigued by what Daybreak has put on the table, you should give it a go when it's released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC on July 5, 2024.

A free demo of The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak will be available on June 4, 2024, for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. The former will only have the prologue, while the latter will also have chapter one. Save data will transfer to the full release.

RPGamer

The Legends of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak marks an exciting new step for the series, as it looks at providing a very welcome new jumping on point for new players, while offering plenty of fresh elements and exciting changes to its ardent fans. Players will be able to try it out for themselves when the demo launches on PlayStation and Switch consoles next week, with the full release coming to PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch on July 5, 2024.

RPGFan

The most significant gameplay change in Trails through Daybreak is that combat has been overhauled since Reverie. Every Trails game since Trails in the Sky FC has been a turn-based affair with improvements to the system each time. If you are afraid I am about to say that Daybreak is not turn-based, don’t worry because it still is, for the most part, with its new hybrid-type system. You even have a choice to seamlessly switch from the new action-based system to the turn-based system at your leisure. For example, you can start a fight off in the action battle system and do a good amount of damage to stun your enemy. Then, you can switch to the turn-based mode and gain an advantage in combat with strategic, well-placed abilities. The only time you cannot do this is during boss battles, which will be strictly in the turn-based mode. After watching some gameplay of this system, I was impressed with how seamless these mode switches are, allowing you to approach battles based on your preferences. I also think playing a bunch of characters in the action mode will make combat even more fun and immersive for both newcomers and returning fans.

Hey Poor Player

After this week’s extended sit-down with the game, I’ve got to say that I’m more excited than ever to learn as much as I can. It’s safe to say that Nihon Falcom’s The Legend of Heroes series has always been one of exceptional quality. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is promising not only to carry on that tradition but to raise the bar.

Final Weapon

The many gameplay elements and features of Trails through Daybreak are set to deliver a compelling experience for newcomers and returning Trails fans alike. Trails through Daybreak experiments with the combat system fans know and love while giving it a refreshing uplift. The Calvard saga is leading Trails to its most exciting era yet, and the opportunity to dive in with Trails through Daybreak is certainly enticing. I will always recommend playing the previous Trails games leading into Trails through Daybreak since the payoff is going to be incredible later on.

There’s a lot more to Trails through Daybreak, and players can see what it’s all about by trying out the free demo on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. The prologue and first chapter are available in the PlayStation 4 version, while the Nintendo Switch version only has the prologue. Save data transfers from both versions into the full game at launch, however.

​

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Today’s Daybreak Demo (PS4 and Switch).

 

[adamsapple]

Today’s Daybreak Demo (PS4 and Switch).

Daybreak demo?

They're putting a demo out, or am I misreading it?

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Daybreak demo?

They're putting a demo out, or am I misreading it?

Yup, demo launches today for Switch and PS4. Save data will transfer to the full version when it releases on July 5.

 

[adamsapple]

Yup, demo launches today for Switch and PS4. Save data will transfer to the full version when it releases on July 5.

Cool, good hands-on to see their new semi-active battle system.

 

[adamsapple]

The demo is now live

 

[mayham2199]

Cool, good hands-on to see their new semi-active battle system.

Yep I heard the demo lets you play the whole first chapter which to me is massive. I might actually be able to squeeze this in before I go on vacation with the demo giving me the ability to carry over data.

 

[StereoVsn]

The demo is now live

I will give it a shot. Couldn’t get through Cold Steel series, so hopefully this is better.

 

[Lumyst]

Just read the background information and glossary in the title menu. You know, I really do appreciate JRPGs even more now, after only enjoying the stories and character designs and romances at a surface level before haha. After October 6 last year I really did take stock of the state of the world and finally filled in gaps in my own understanding, of world history and events, politics, education, society and culture, religion, war and ideology, even the ideas of people behind the scenes planning things secretly and which philosophies they put into practice, and now I realize that lots of JRPGs including the Trails series (which I only played 40 hours of Cold Steel IV and am going to continue playing it) are stories of Western Civilization and philosophies, and are about the people during times of change deciding, as the background information mentioned, whether they are more for "tradition or innovation" or just going with the flow and doing their part in times of change, or even more focused on protecting the human life around them rather than wholeheartedly embracing a particular side in a conflict.

I look forward to delving more into this series and more of Falcom's games now that I see what it's about, and realize that the stories in JRPGs are not just "pretentiously philosophical" like I saw them when I was younger, but are actually reflections of real human history and behavior in times of change. I think this might be what is missing when some of us feel "offended" when we see stories now that only push for the player to choose one side (in today's games, radical change), because reality is nuanced and there are people who do appreciate and value tradition as well as progress, and not just all in on radical change to something that may actually become a step back. I'll put this in spoilers because it is slightly political:

Spoiler

When tradition means individual freedom, and radical change means forced conformity down to the aesthetic level, it shouldn't be controversial that a lot of people are offended when a game demands that players go with one side's values or else are attacked for valuing the tradition of creative freedom without outside pressure.

 

[adamsapple]

The demo is now live

So, apparently this demo is for the PS4 version (which will work on PS5's as well), there is no native PS5 version demo (for now). But the saved data will be compatible with the PS5 version at launch.

 

[StereoVsn]

So, apparently this demo is for the PS4 version (which will work on PS5's as well), there is no native PS5 version demo (for now). But the saved data will be compatible with the PS5 version at launch.

And this is weird AF considering most of the people in the West buying this are probably on PS5 already.

 

[Thief1987]

And this is weird AF considering most of the people in the West buying this are probably on PS5 already.

I doubt that there is big difference, resolution maybe. You can unlock framerate in the current version.

 

[StereoVsn]

I doubt that there is big difference, resolution maybe. You can unlock framerate in the current version.

Ah, if frame rate can be unlocked it shouldn’t matter much.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Apparently the demo on PS4 is also more extensive than the one for the Switch. The demo contains the prologue for both systems, but the PS4 demo also includes all of chapter 1 as well.

And yeah, I've played for around 2h and I haven't even finished the prologue.

 

[mayham2199]

I doubt that there is big difference, resolution maybe. You can unlock framerate in the current version.

Yea these games have never been graphical power houses.

 

[adamsapple]

Played the demo and yeah painfully obvious that this is not a native PS5 demo lol. Very aliased and long load times even on the PS5 SSD. But at least they have an unlocked FPS option so PS4 Pro owners will probably get decent mileage out of it.

Probably not gonna play through it completely cause the game is a full month away, if I finish it now, I'll probably need to replay the prologue and chapter 1 again when the game comes out. So will just wait till then.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

This is my favorite game series. I'm all in.