*Spins chair around* So, you’ve finally heard about the Trails series, huh? Maybe someone you know recommended it to you. Maybe the upcoming English release of Trails Through Daybreak has you curious. Maybe you are just looking for a new series to sink your teeth, time, and energy into until Persona 6 comes out.
But, as you scanned the Wikipedia page for the series you realized: THERE ARE 17 GAMES (at the time of the writing) ALREADY IN THIS SERIES. Where are you supposed to start? Do you need to play all 17 to get the full story? What if you just want to get into the modern games; will you miss important context?
Don’t fret at all, for I am here to operate as your lovely guide to getting into this outrageous, hilarious, and genuinely heart-wrenching series of games. But first, the most important question…
What Is The Trails Series, Anyway?
First starting in 2004 with the PC release of Trails in the Sky, the Trails (known in Japan as Kiseki) series is technically a sub-series of the The Legend of Heroes series which has been running since 1989. However, since that 2004 title, Trails has become the dominant series itself.
Trails originally used a traditional Active Time Turn-Based Battle system, popularized by games like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy. Combat choices fell into 3+1 actions: Basic Attacking, Crafts, and Arts (i.e., magic). Crafts are character-specific actions which spend CP, or Craft Points. Arts are universal magic, with different elemental types. There are also S-Crafts, which are character specific super moves. With the introduction of 3D battles in the 6th title, Trails of Cold Steel, combat also has positional and movement options, similar to Eternal Sonata.
Besides turn-based combat, the rest of the Trails games are spent fulfilling side quests, talking to your party members, attending class (at least in Cold Steel, not dissimilar to Fire Emblem: Three Houses), baking recipes; you know, role-playing game stuff.
So Trails games are relatively generic (J)RPGs?
On the surface, absolutely! The mechanics are similar, with some fun layers tossed on top. Things really start to differentiate the later into the series you go, but for the most part, it’s pretty familiar.
Sounds like I should just play some Final Fantasy, then.
Now hold your horses, we aren’t done here! What sets the Trails series apart is its world-building, characters, and story-telling. Whereas most long running series—like Final Fantasy and Tales—keep players engaged by telling new stories within similar structure, Trails is telling one contiguous tale.
Seeds that were planted in Trails in the Sky (2004) have only recently been paid off in the most recent release, Trails into Reverie (2020). Characters vanish for dozens of games only to reappear. Names that are briefly mentioned once suddenly become important plot context, and are even developed upon later. One giant story, with recurring antagonists and goals the whole way.
Heavens! How am I supposed to wrap my head around all that?
That’s the fun part—you aren’t!
What?!
Maybe this is the part where my own history with the Trails series becomes relevant. I had been aware of the series for a while; friends had recommended the PSP release of Trails in the Sky as far back as 2012 but I never dug in because…well, they just didn’t excite me. They seemed relatively generic, and I didn’t have time to figure out why I should care.
Fast forward to late 2019, when my best friend recommended I try the Tales of Cold Steel games specifically. I politely declined, pointing out that the world would need to shut down for me to have time to spend on another RPG series with hundreds of hours of games.
And, uh, well. Whoops.
Wait, did you jinx—
That part is not important. What is important is that, in 2020, I suddenly had a lot of free time at my disposal, and was able to dive into Trails headfirst. I started with Cold Steel 1, and devoured everything in that arc before going back and trying the older titles. I am happy to report that Nihon Falcom, the series’ long-time developer, is headed by very smart people; they KNOW how big and daunting this franchise is, and they know they’ve been telling this story for over two decades. That’s a lot of time to forget things!
So, anything you NEED TO KNOW, they tell you. Characters give themselves context within the situations they exist within. Does it enhance the experience to know what came before? Absolutely! But never once did I feel “behind” because I hadn’t played the early games. Instead, I was given just enough information to understand the story I was seeing, with plenty of nods to go back and look at.
It also helps that each sub-series within Trails has its own main characters and cast.
THERE ARE SUBSERIES WITHIN THIS SUBSERIES?
Four specifically! Each are designated by the subheading and country they mainly take place it. There are the three games in the Trails in the Sky arc, also known as the Liberl Arc; two games within the Trails from Zero, or Crossbell, arc; four games in the Trails of Cold Steel, or Erebonia, arc; and finally, three (so far) in the Trails Through Daybreak, or Calvard, arc. There is also Trails into Reverie, which caps off the first half of the Trails series and is set after Cold Steel 4. It’s a lot!
Each sub-series has its own driving motivation and main characters. The Liberl Arc follows a team of Bracers (basically freelance knights for hire) as they uncover the plots of the mysterious organization Ouroboros. The Crossbell Arc focuses on the Special Support Section, a part of the Crossbell Police Force, as they are pulled between knocking down the various criminal syndicates in the city and a centuries old cult that threatens to upend the precarious political position of the city state. And the Erebonia Arc focuses on the actions and trials of Class VII, a newly developed high school class of talented teenagers, with aims to operate as a neutral voice within the war-driven country.
Wait, what about about the Calvard Arc?
Couldn’t tell you yet! The first of that arc, Trails Through Daybreak, releases in the US on July 5, 2024 for PS5, PC, and Switch.
But you said there are three games in the series already?
Yup! But the next two are Japan only for now, so you have some time. Judging by the release cadence, Through Daybreak 2 and Farewell, O Zemuria! will be released in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
Okay, so you’ve laid that all out. Where should I start?!
Thanks for hanging in there with me, and I promise we are almost done. Really, where to start is up to you! But I’ll give you my opinion on who each starting point is right for.
Where To Start With the Trails Games:
The Completionist: You’re the kind of person who needs to see it all, and you don’t care about out-dated mechanics or graphics. If it is there, you want to play it. If this describes you, you’ll want to start with Trails in the Sky, which is available on Steam.
The Persona Enthusiast: Trails of Cold Steel mostly takes place in a Persona-adjacent setting of Thors Military Academy; you’ll go to class, get swept up in teen romance, and delve some dungeons while you’re at it. Start here, available on just about everything at this point.
The Traditionalist: You like your RPGs with menus and sprites; none of this new-fangled Active Positioning or moving around. Trails in the Sky is the right choice for you.
The Narrative-Focused: Characters and the relationships between them drive you. You can handle being a little confused by the big world if the interpersonal connections are good. Allow me to introduce you to Rean Schwarzer, main character of Cold Steel. Enjoy.
The Anarchist: You love chaos, and want to inflict pain upon me, specifically. Trails into Reverie.
The Espionage Fan: You like political machinations and layers of world-building. The idea of a small country caught between two superpowers excites you, and you want to know what life looks like there. Also, you’re a fan of silly names. Detective Lloyd Bannings, his compatriot Randy Orlando, and the rest of the Crossbell team await you in Trails from Zero.
The Toe-Dipper: You’re still a little overwhelmed by the sheer breadth of the world and story, and want to keep a little more focus. The upcoming Trails Through Daybreak is for you. It’s entirely focused in a brand new place, and a lot of the driving conflicts through the previous arcs has been resolved. You can always go back, but great as a standalone jumping on point. It’s releasing in the western hemisphere on July 5, so you’ll be joining a wave of fans, new and old!
Thanks! Anything else I should know?
Just that you really can’t go wrong! The Trails series is a modern RPG marvel, with consistent themes and storytelling over two decades of work. It is a monument to the success that comes from having a team know the story they want to tell, while also having a firm grasp on what makes games fun. I really cannot recommend these games enough, and I highly encourage you to give it a try.
Also, at some point giant robots show up and start beating down fools.
WHAT?!
See you next time!
Where To Play the Trails Games
At the time of publication, most of these games are on sale right now in advance of Trails Through Daybreak‘s western release. Perfect timing for the summer holidays, lucky you! Most of these games are available on Steam, such as the three places I recommend starting: 1) Trails in the Sky, or 2) Trails of Cold Steel, or 3) Trails Through Daybreak (as of Friday!).
