The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak
This review contains spoilers
Usually I just quickly say a few things about the gameplay because it doesn't change much from entry to entry, but this is a massive leap from what came prior.
I'll start by saying it's got the deepest mechanics of any of the Trails games so far. Moment-to-moment gameplay is a blast.
- A revamped battle system. Now, I've experienced this because I played the First Chapter Remaster first, but I'm leaving comparisons to that game out because this game first. This is a huge change. Going from simply turn-based (but a great turn-based system, to be fair) to one that mixes real-time and turn-based is great. It means you can quickly take out mobs or beat them up a bunch and then quickly change to turn-based to get some bonuses and finish the job. Great shit.
- Orbment system is better. Now because of plugins and the like, you get a bunch of spells and can plug in whatever other spells you want. Then you use your slots to boost the stats of your characters. I feel like there could have been more quartz but that's a minor thing, and I assume it's coming next game.
- While it keeps S-crafts and the like, because of shards, you have to build them before you can unleash the attacks. There are other little changes too but the two major ones above are the ones that matter.
There's probably more to say about the gameplay but I'll just move onto quick thoughts about things:
- Music is a downgrade. There are some cool tracks but very few hit me like previous games. And it's not a terrible soundtrack but most of the games have awesome to amazing ones. Some of the finest music in JRPGs. This is not that.
- Game's faster. Sure, I still used high speed mode some but I relied on it less. That's an improvement.
- While it still has many of the Trails tropes, this is more mature. I mean, some people die. Hell, there's a whole ass nuclear bomb that goes off. I was a little scared they'd find a way to retcon that and undo the damage but thankfully they did not.
- One Trails trope they should have abandoned was in the finale. You have to go around and smash shit to take down barriers and it's super repetitive. Wasn't as egregious as Cold Steel 2 (I think, though they're blending together in my mind now) but god damn. It's not even that it's bad thematically and there are interesting character bits, but they needed to trim this shit or rework it.
- As a huge cinephile I enjoyed the emphasis on movies here. Like yeah, other games had gigantic meetings in capitals, this had a big event at a film festival. Though I don't understand the difference between "best actor" and "outstanding actor." It's the same shit. Learn how to do an awards show.
- Almata's not a bad villain, but I did miss Ouroboros. I mean they were there a little but they took a backseat. Though it makes sense because you can't always just have them. We get to see the 4th Anguis in all his glory. I like watching him murder things by snapping his finger. I also like how when he's asked what he's going to do with Almata, he's just like, "My plan was to round them up and murder them." Hell yeah, brother. He was cool. I miss seeing Campanella though.
New playable characters:
- Van: Funny story, I played Beyond the Horizon before this so I kind of confused Rean and him a bunch, haha. But I like Van. He's a little darker (well a lot darker by the end I guess), and operating in a less pure realm is a change of pace from people like Rean, Estelle and Lloyd. Plus he will kill.
- Agnes: Eh. She's okay. I dunno. Maybe more comes later on and I'll change my tune but I find her kind of forgettable. Like, in terms of the big magic users, she's a step back from many that came before.
- Feri: I kind of felt that a bunch of these characters were lesser versions than what came before. Like, I know it's not a 1-to-1, but I mean, there's Feri and then there's Fie, and Fie stomps her. I felt very little towards Feri, though I like her weapon. Made a joke to a friend about how Calvard doesn't fuck around because while Musse had a musket, Feri rolls up with a P90.
- Aaron: I did not care about him.
- Risette: She was fine.
- Quatre: This little bastard grew on me, but I don't think he's an all-timer. Like that the research he was doing was unintentionally sinister. Plus he has a robot dog.
- Judith: Liked her. I mean, a movie star but also Grimcat. Since I forgot everything about Beyond the Horizon (because none of it made any sense to me), I was like "oooh yeah I remember her!"
- Bergard: He's pretty cool. The old master.
- Elaine: I'm throwing her in because you control her briefly and she's my favourite new character. She's the cool bracer chick this game and I love bracers. But her relationship with Van and Rene was my favourite part. I don't love Rene but I like the idea of the long-term friends. Elaine's cool but a little unhinged emotionally. Like she loses her shit a bit. Her yelling "THEN WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?" at Van was one of the most emotional moments. I hope to see a lot more of her.
- Special mention to Renne: I've loved seeing her grow up. She's a good example of the impact it can have when you stick with a character over many years. Always got respect for Renne.
I should have made notes while playing because I know I have so much more to say. Oh well. I'll be honest, while I undoubtedly still loved my experience, I don't think I loved it as much as a bunch of the others, though it is a great starting point for an arc. I will give it that. I may be suffering a little bit of burnout as well. I've pumped a lot of Trails into me, but I still have a desire to keep going without a big break.
I'll start by saying it's got the deepest mechanics of any of the Trails games so far. Moment-to-moment gameplay is a blast.
- A revamped battle system. Now, I've experienced this because I played the First Chapter Remaster first, but I'm leaving comparisons to that game out because this game first. This is a huge change. Going from simply turn-based (but a great turn-based system, to be fair) to one that mixes real-time and turn-based is great. It means you can quickly take out mobs or beat them up a bunch and then quickly change to turn-based to get some bonuses and finish the job. Great shit.
- Orbment system is better. Now because of plugins and the like, you get a bunch of spells and can plug in whatever other spells you want. Then you use your slots to boost the stats of your characters. I feel like there could have been more quartz but that's a minor thing, and I assume it's coming next game.
- While it keeps S-crafts and the like, because of shards, you have to build them before you can unleash the attacks. There are other little changes too but the two major ones above are the ones that matter.
There's probably more to say about the gameplay but I'll just move onto quick thoughts about things:
- Music is a downgrade. There are some cool tracks but very few hit me like previous games. And it's not a terrible soundtrack but most of the games have awesome to amazing ones. Some of the finest music in JRPGs. This is not that.
- Game's faster. Sure, I still used high speed mode some but I relied on it less. That's an improvement.
- While it still has many of the Trails tropes, this is more mature. I mean, some people die. Hell, there's a whole ass nuclear bomb that goes off. I was a little scared they'd find a way to retcon that and undo the damage but thankfully they did not.
- One Trails trope they should have abandoned was in the finale. You have to go around and smash shit to take down barriers and it's super repetitive. Wasn't as egregious as Cold Steel 2 (I think, though they're blending together in my mind now) but god damn. It's not even that it's bad thematically and there are interesting character bits, but they needed to trim this shit or rework it.
- As a huge cinephile I enjoyed the emphasis on movies here. Like yeah, other games had gigantic meetings in capitals, this had a big event at a film festival. Though I don't understand the difference between "best actor" and "outstanding actor." It's the same shit. Learn how to do an awards show.
- Almata's not a bad villain, but I did miss Ouroboros. I mean they were there a little but they took a backseat. Though it makes sense because you can't always just have them. We get to see the 4th Anguis in all his glory. I like watching him murder things by snapping his finger. I also like how when he's asked what he's going to do with Almata, he's just like, "My plan was to round them up and murder them." Hell yeah, brother. He was cool. I miss seeing Campanella though.
New playable characters:
- Van: Funny story, I played Beyond the Horizon before this so I kind of confused Rean and him a bunch, haha. But I like Van. He's a little darker (well a lot darker by the end I guess), and operating in a less pure realm is a change of pace from people like Rean, Estelle and Lloyd. Plus he will kill.
- Agnes: Eh. She's okay. I dunno. Maybe more comes later on and I'll change my tune but I find her kind of forgettable. Like, in terms of the big magic users, she's a step back from many that came before.
- Feri: I kind of felt that a bunch of these characters were lesser versions than what came before. Like, I know it's not a 1-to-1, but I mean, there's Feri and then there's Fie, and Fie stomps her. I felt very little towards Feri, though I like her weapon. Made a joke to a friend about how Calvard doesn't fuck around because while Musse had a musket, Feri rolls up with a P90.
- Aaron: I did not care about him.
- Risette: She was fine.
- Quatre: This little bastard grew on me, but I don't think he's an all-timer. Like that the research he was doing was unintentionally sinister. Plus he has a robot dog.
- Judith: Liked her. I mean, a movie star but also Grimcat. Since I forgot everything about Beyond the Horizon (because none of it made any sense to me), I was like "oooh yeah I remember her!"
- Bergard: He's pretty cool. The old master.
- Elaine: I'm throwing her in because you control her briefly and she's my favourite new character. She's the cool bracer chick this game and I love bracers. But her relationship with Van and Rene was my favourite part. I don't love Rene but I like the idea of the long-term friends. Elaine's cool but a little unhinged emotionally. Like she loses her shit a bit. Her yelling "THEN WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?" at Van was one of the most emotional moments. I hope to see a lot more of her.
- Special mention to Renne: I've loved seeing her grow up. She's a good example of the impact it can have when you stick with a character over many years. Always got respect for Renne.
I should have made notes while playing because I know I have so much more to say. Oh well. I'll be honest, while I undoubtedly still loved my experience, I don't think I loved it as much as a bunch of the others, though it is a great starting point for an arc. I will give it that. I may be suffering a little bit of burnout as well. I've pumped a lot of Trails into me, but I still have a desire to keep going without a big break.
Mini Review: Massive change in gameplay, which is the most noticeable thing. Orbment system is deeper, combat is revamped with a real-time/turn-based hybrid. I really like some of the new characters but others kind of felt like they were lesser versions of previous ones. Generally a good story. Has some stupid Trails pacing issues in the finale. Soundtrack isn't as good as some other games. But I still loved it.
Watch the Trailer