The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon Image
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80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: C. Epstein, the father of the Orbal Revolution, predicted the end of the Zemuria continent. As that "X-Day" approaches, a single Orbal rocket is about to be launched from a huge base built in the land of Kunlun.

    "Can humans reach the outer atmosphere?" "What is at the end of the
    C. Epstein, the father of the Orbal Revolution, predicted the end of the Zemuria continent. As that "X-Day" approaches, a single Orbal rocket is about to be launched from a huge base built in the land of Kunlun.

    "Can humans reach the outer atmosphere?" "What is at the end of the continent?" "Can humanity know the truth of the 'world'?"

    As the whole world focuses its attention on this great historic undertaking, a young man from the "Spriggan" and other forces from all over the country are about to gather in a certain place in the Oredo Autonomous Region, which could be called the technological singularity.

    Will the single path that aims for the distant heavens become the future of Zemuria...or...
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 11
  2. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Jan 23, 2026
    100
    Trails is the most ambitious epic in games, and that’s only becoming truer with each new entry that builds on the previous ones. Every new Trails game starts a round of “is this a good one to start with?”, and the answer is “no” every time, unless you’re referring to the recent remake of the original, Trails In The Sky 1st Chapter. Which, if you want to experience Trails Beyond The Horizon in full, go start with that. Then play Trails In The Sky 2nd Chapter when that remake lands, then Trails In The Sky The 3rd on a Windows-compatible machine, then… you get the idea. It’s been said before, but you don’t start a lengthy book series in the middle; why would you do that with Trails, unless FOMO is your primary driving force? Respect yourself and Trails more than that, and do what’s right for the both of you. Only then will you get the full experience that you deserve.
  2. Jan 8, 2026
    100
    Trails beyond the Horizon is a modern-day masterpiece of a RPG that elevates the Trails franchise thematically with its story and structurally with its superb gameplay. The time investment pays off with many big reveals and lore drops that fans have been waiting for, along with unexpected ones. With a slew of quality-of-life improvements, meaningful new gameplay features, and a memorable and emotional story, Trails beyond the Horizon is a cut above many RPGs in the industry.
  3. 90
    Trails Beyond the Horizon can be described as a new start inside the current Calvard arc and, at the same time, a synthesis of the series up to this moment. The story is certainly something fans will love it, as well as the interactions between the teams. The combat system showcases new systems and it’s very dynamic. However, the title also shows Falcom’s quirks that we accepted as part of the series formula and that should have been polished a long time ago.
  4. Jan 8, 2026
    80
    Trails Beyond the Horizon is another solid new entry in the long-running series and feels like a firm step forward, even if it’s not quite as big a step as some may have hoped. Though the story can be uneven, it’s buoyed by a strong and diverse cast that keeps you invested and reminds you how all the work Falcom has been putting in over the years has ultimately been pushing towards something.
  5. Jan 16, 2026
    80
    The game is definitely just a bit too long and gets close to buckling under its own weight. And yet, it works, and I can’t help but be excited at what’s to come. Maybe the next game won’t be the perfect pay-off Horizon promises, but at the moment, I think they’ve earned my faith. The worst part of this game is the agonizing wait to play the sequel. This game feels like the reward for investing so many years of my life into these games, and I’ve never been happier to be on the wild ride that is Trails.
  6. 75
    The game looks good graphically, with the ginormous cast of characters each standing out in their own way, and the soundtrack is a solid one as well. Eventually, I do hope to circle back to Trails Beyond the Horizon, with a nice full notebook and a character interaction chart that makes Xenoblade Chronicles X’s look small. The systems are fun to interact with - when they’re not trapping me in what is supposed to be a horror game - and I want to be able to fully follow what’s going on. Even if it takes me 700 hours across Switch 2, my PC, and a Steam Deck to get there.
  7. Jan 8, 2026
    60
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon feels like a stress test. Turns out when you introduce a dozen different plot threads across several sets of stories set in different geographical locations, bringing them all together is a massive, unwieldy task. There’s fun stuff in here between the annoying parts, like really cool special attack animations, interesting character developments, crazy monster designs, and world-shattering twists. But I wish so much time wasn’t wasted on achingly boring expository setup, non-optional side content with next to no substance, and a combat system that’s in the middle of an identity crisis. Falcom has done a lot more with a lot less in the past, and all this excess is wearing me down.

See all 11 Critic Reviews