The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak

The long-running Trails series of JRPG's can seem like a daunting series, with multiple titles featuring much loved characters who return for multiple adventures. Thankfully, for those of us who haven't picked up every game in the series, Daybreak is a break in the chain, featuring a host of brand new characters embarking on a fresh adventure, making it the perfect jumping on point for newcomers and those who have missed a game or two. 

Trails of Reverie provided a satisfying conclusion to the previous saga, so expectations are high for Trails of Daybreak. Our new protagonist is notably different in tone from the sunny heroes of games past, with Van Arkride a man known to operate in the shadier sides of the law, taking on assignments that are risky and decidedly shady, whether it's brokering deals with gangs or bounty hunting, he's a man with skills and an understanding of how the world works. This is writ large in his stats, which are divided into Law, Gray and Chaos. The decisions you take will level these traits up, but chasing one morality path won't lock you out of upgrades afforded by others, so you can make the decisions you feel most comfortable with and not feel forced down a single path to chase a bonus. Side quests often offer increases to Van's personality traits, and you'll be told what these are before accepting, which is a nice touch. 

I opted to try the Nintendo Switch version of the game, and I have to say I was underwhelmed by the graphics. It's all functional enough, but the textures are a bit bland and it hurts the immersion somewhat. I'm rarely one for chasing graphical prowess, but in this case I'd recommend picking up the PS5 or PC versions of the game to get the most out of the visuals, especially the beautiful character designs.

Speaking of, the characters are the real charm of the game. They're a colourful and fun bunch to spend time with, from cat-masked tricksters to gruff retired martial artists, every person you meet has depth that makes Daybreak a genuine pleasure to traverse, never knowing which new friend or foe might be around the next corner. The world feels real and inhabited, a must for a modern JRPG. That said, it keeps the main cast tight-nit - this is no Hundred Heroes - and this attention provides more focus and development. Hopefully future games won't balloon like other entries, old geezers like me need to keep things a little more focussed! The game maintains its lore by peppering character cameos from older games into the background, but they never overshadow the new cast. 

Combat is of course a central aspect, and here Trails has mixed things up - you're now able to run around the battleground to better position your attacks with no movement penalty, and from here the game effortlessly switches to turn based battles. It really is the best of both worlds given the upgrades and stat boosters you'll be managing via the Xipha system, which helps the player manipulate "shards", elements that can boost your battle abilities. These are powered by Holo Cores (AI basically) and each comes with its own voice. The AI will speak up when it feels it can offer you an advantage or even just point things out you may have missed. You're able to offer Arts, and even here you can add elements to change the effects - it sounds complex, but the game does a good job easing you into the system. If I can understand it, your average gamer should find it pretty intuitive. 

All of this would be for naught if the story wasn't engaging, and thankfully Daybreak delivers here too. Van's shady dealings allow him to piece together the underlying events that bring a new threat to the world, with politicians taking advantage of anti-immigration sentiment to gain power while a new power is rising in the underground to disturb the delicate status quo, it's a threat that has its tentacles in all levels of daily life, both overt and behind closed doors, the game deftly weaves together threads of story into a compelling central narrative that'll have you returning to see what new event will spark a new crisis.

Due to the intrigue, I've no interest in laying out any spoilers, but after a fairly standard start (girl seeks help, cool guy steps up) you'll enjoy what's coming, so stick with it past the opening tropes. 

Playing RPG's is a a time consuming affair, and for this reason I'm far more picky than I used to be. I just can't play an average 80 hour plus time sink and justify the cost, so I'm happy to say that Trails of Daybreak is an inventive and justifiable investment of your precious gaming hours. Likeable characters, fun combat and worthy side-quests all coalesce into a great game that'll have you wanting more, and I'm sure NISA won't disappoint.