It’s crazy to me to think that the Trails series is over 20 years old. While I cannot say I’ve been a fan from the start, I can say it is a series that is near and dear to me. I was fortunate enough to be able to do a review for Cold Steel 2. While there were story beats I didn’t fully understand, I quickly picked it up and enjoyed it. I immediately bought Cold Steel and started the incredible journey I am still on today. 7 Years and 9 games later, we have arrived at Trails Beyond the Horizon, the third episode in the Calvard Saga. I have to say, Falcom has managed to once again build a satisfying package that builds on the improvements of the previous entry and really gripped me from beginning to end.
A mere three months after the events of Daybreak II, Van and crew have been invited by the Marduk Security Company to test out some new technology. We quickly find out that Arkride Solutions are not the only ones who have been invited for this test, as Rean, Altina and even Father Kevin from the Sky Games is here. If they’re here, you KNOW something big is going on. As things move forward, we find the reason that this new technology is being tested. Humanity is about to embark into something they’ve never done before, ascending into space. The sudden revelation leads Van and his crew into an investigation of something that, in typical trails fashion, seems to be running afoul. I had a concern that the story would try too hard to try and fit in the rather large cast, thankfully, my worries were unfounded. The story proceeds as you complete missions, The sub quests known as 4SPGs, and making progress through a corrupted Version of The Marchen Garten from the previous game, known as the Grim Garten. Thankfully, everything is paced out in a way that gives every beat and character enough time to breathe. The snappy banter between characters strikes a perfect balance of humor and heart. You can really tell how much the Members of Arkride Solutions have grown as a chosen family. The themes of Love, Family, Legacy and the boundaries of good and evil are all explored, none of the them clash without the proper weight and reason, and because of the pacing I was never bored. The Ending was also one of the most powerful the series has created to this date. It simply has to be experienced, especially if you are a long time fan like I am.
Taking place once again in Edith, the Capital City of Calvard and the surrounding areas, but the amount of time you spend in them is somewhat reduced, as you will spend a good amount of time in the Grim Garten. During your time in the real world, you’ll assist with 4SPGs to make money, gain experience and progress the story. Your choices made during these missions will also affect events in the future based on whether your choices lean in to, Law, Gray or Chaos. The Grim Garden and the combat system is where the majority of the refinements for this entry comes in. The biggest addition is the Z.O.C abilities. In the Active Battle system, it allows you to slow down time to a near crawl, allowing you to deal massive damage, take time to heal or retreat from a powerful foe. When you use it in Command Battles, you can do two things, it allows you to establish a team wide buff using your boost gauge, or you can use two of them to give a character two turns! The benefits are enormous if used correctly. If you do cast an art while using ZOC, you will sue both turns but get the casting of the art immediately. This comes in incredibly clutch if you need to revive a teammate and can’t get close enough to use an item, or to make sure you use a weakness spell to stun or remove an enemy.
One thing I was a touch surprised by, was that in terms of presentation, not a whole lot has changed. Falcom’s use of the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy on their menu design is evident here, all of the menus are the same as the prior entries. They’re all still easily readable, easy to navigate and snappy. Character progression is mostly unchanged from the previous episode as well, the Quartz and Shard skills are essentially the same form the previous two episodes, so if you remember how to build your characters from them with Quartz, you’ll have an easy time setting up your team. The only real difference is the way that the you go through the Garten. Instead of a series of set levels, you play through a grid movement mini game that doesn’t really add any challenge, it just reduces the amount of literal running around. The Gacha like, “Decryption” service returns, while this is mostly inoffensive as its all in game currency you get just for playing the game, I do wish a less randomized system was implemented to help with making character progression more choice based. But in truth, that’s really one of the few flaws I could really point out. There have been some new animations for existing crafts that look great and change up the flow of things from a spectacle standpoint. In the end though, if you enjoyed the previous two entries, you’ll get more of the same.
Trails Beyond the Horizon doesn’t make too many “radical” changes, it places more of an emphasis on small refinements and a stronger focus on the story and character moments. The combat is engaging, the story is full of twists and great character moments, and a satisfying JRPG as whole. I obviously wouldn’t recommend this as your first Trails game because this is a conclusive episode, but if you’re already invested in the Trails Universe, this is another great entry that is absolutely worth your time. I am extremely curious to see where Falcom decides the next major step will be for this beloved series. Regardless, I will be ready and waiting for whatever comes next.
