The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak

Last updated

The Legend of Heroes:Trails Through Daybreak
Trails through Daybreak artwork.jpg
Developer(s) Nihon Falcom
Publisher(s) NIS America
  • JP: Nihon Falcom
  • PAL: Clouded Leopard Entertainment
Director(s) Takayuki Kusano
Producer(s) Toshihiro Kondo
Programmer(s)
  • Yuki Hirata
  • Toru Endo
  • Nobuhiro Hioki
Artist(s) Katsumi Enami
Writer(s)
  • Hisayoshi Takeiri
  • Yuuta Miyazaki
  • Syunsei Shikata
Composer(s)
  • Hayato Sonoda
  • Shuntaro Koguchi
  • Yukihiro Jindo
  • Mitsuo Singa
Series Trails
Platform(s)
ReleasePlayStation 4
  • JP: September 30, 2021
  • WW: July 5, 2024
PlayStation 5
  • JP: July 28, 2022
  • WW: July 5, 2024
Windows
  • CHN: July 28, 2022
  • JP: March 1, 2023
  • WW: July 5, 2024
Nintendo Switch
  • JP: February 15, 2024
  • WW: July 5, 2024
Genre(s) Role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak [lower-alpha 1] is a 2021 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes franchise, and is the first game in the Trails Through Daybreak story arc. It marks the second half of the Trails series and is the first to be set in the Calvard Republic. The game follows Van Arkride, a young man working at Arkride Solutions Office as a Spriggan, a bounty hunting detective.

Contents

Trails Through Daybreak was released in Japan for the PlayStation 4 in September 2021. A port for the PlayStation 5 was released in Japan and other Asian regions in July 2022, along with a Windows port in Chinese and Korean. A Japanese Windows port was released in March 2023. An English version by NIS America, including a Nintendo Switch port, is scheduled to be released in July 2024. A sequel, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II , was released in 2022.

Gameplay

An example of a combat encounter Kuro no Kiseki battle.jpg
An example of a combat encounter

The story follows a chapter format. In each chapter, the player spends a day in the city of Edith, where they are free to interact with characters and do side missions. When the story progresses, it sends the player to a different place where a new member joins the party. The game has no load times for entering or exiting buildings, and generally has a larger overworld than seen in previous games in the series. A first for the series, Trails Through Daybreak features an alignment system based on law, chaos, and mix of the two. While the system does not affect the main story or ending, it unlocks options that allow the player to ally with certain factions at a particular point in the game, triggering unique events and dialogues.

The game's combat system is divided into two modes: real-time action battles similar to Falcom's Ys series and traditional turn-based combat featured in the series' past. The game encourages the player to use both modes, which can be freely switched between outside of boss fights, which are exclusively turn-based. [1]

Plot

In the year 1208, thanks to postwar reparations, Calvard Republic experiences unprecedented economic growth while continuously dealing with public unrest caused by immigration and new governmental reforms. In a corner of the city of Edith, a young man known as Van Arkride is working at Arkride Solutions Office as a Spriggan, a bounty hunting detective.

One day, Van is approached by Agnes Claudel, a high school student and the daughter of Calvard's new president Roy Gramheart. She asks for his help to find a type of orbment called Oct-Genesis, the last creation of her late great grandfather Claude Epstein, one of the greatest scientists in history. Along the way they are joined by Feri Al-Fayed, a Jaeger of the Khruga clan; Aaron Wei, a performer in Langport; Risette Twinings, an employee of a private military company; Quatre Salision, a pupil of professor Hamilton who is one of professor Epstein's disciples; Judith Ranster, a famous actor who has a secret identity as the Phantom Thief Grimcats and Bergard Zeman (Gunther Barkhorn), Van's mentor and a knight of the Church who was presumed dead. Their search for the Oct-Genesis brings them into Conflict with the terrorist group Almata led by Gerard Dantes. The Arkride Solution Office align themselves with other factions such as the Bracers, the government and even criminal organizations like Ouroboros and Heiyue against Almata, which itself is aided by Garden, a secret organization formed by Ellroy Harwood, the fourth anguis of Ouroboros who combined the remains of the D∴G cult in Crossbell with the remains of the group he formerly belonged to, the Order of the Moonlight Horse. Van also reunites with Elaine Auclair, a bracer who is his childhood friend and former lover and Rene Kincaid, a government secretary who is his and Elaine's childhood friend.

It is revealed that Van has become the host of one of the five demon lords known as Vagrants-Zion when he was young (which allows him to take a monstrous form known as Grendel), as such he became a test subject of the D∴G cult under the supervision of Gerard Dantes who was a member at the time. Using his position in the cult, Gerard claimed the power for himself and escaped the cult's extermination, he then took over the leadership of Almata to spread fear and strengthen the demonic power. It is also revealed that Gerard is actually a descendant of the Eldarion family, Calvard's fallen monarchy.

Van and his team face and kill Gerard, but he and other deceased members of Almata are revived by one of his subordinates named Melchior. The Spriggans face Gerard again who transforms into a demon, Van takes the demonic power back from him, killing him for good. Giving the last Oct-Genesis they found back to Agnes, Van becomes Vagrants-Zion and imprisons himself in another plain to save humanity, but his team, with the help of his orbment's artificial intelligence Mare, reach Van's prison realm, save him and together, defeat the demon lord.

Development and release

Trails Through Daybreak marks the start of the second half of the series' narrative, and the beginning of a new story arc that continues with its sequel Trails Through Daybreak II . It features a new proprietary game engine by Falcom that replaced the PhyreEngine used in the Trails of Cold Steel series. [2] Trails Through Daybreak was released for the PlayStation 4 in Japan on September 30, 2021. [3] A port for the PlayStation 5 was released in Japan and other Asian regions on July 28, 2022, along with a Windows port in Chinese and Korean. [4]

A fan translation group released a spreadsheet and overlay program for the game, [5] but received a cease-and-desist removal order by NIS America in August 2022 after an unofficial patch that could directly insert the English text into the game was made. [6] NIS America later released a Japanese Windows port on March 1, 2023. [7] Trails Through Daybreak is scheduled to be released in North America in English on July 5, 2024, in addition to a Nintendo Switch version. [8] A Japanese Switch version by Falcom was released on February 15, 2024, followed by a Chinese and Korean version by Clouded Leopard Entertainment the following month. [9]

Reception

In Japan, the PlayStation 4 version was the highest selling physical game of its release week, selling an estimated 50,100 copies. [10] It remained on the weekly top 30 sales chart for another two weeks, reaching a total of 58,300 physical copies sold. [11] The PlayStation 5 version debuted at the bottom of the chart, selling 2,400 copies. [12]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: 英雄伝説 黎の軌跡, Hepburn: Eiyū Densetsu: Kuro no Kiseki

Related Research Articles

Xseed Games is an American video game company founded by former members of Square Enix USA. It later became a subsidiary of the Japanese game company Marvelous, providing the localization and publishing services for video games and related materials.

The Legend of Heroes, known in Japan as Eiyū Densetsu, is a series of role-playing video games developed by Nihon Falcom. First starting as a part of the Dragon Slayer series in the late 1980s, the series evolved into its own decade-spanning, interconnected series with seventeen entries, including several subseries. All games in the franchise released since 2004 are part of the Trails subseries, known as Kiseki in Japan. The most recent entry, The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki, was released in 2024.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero</i> 2010 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero, known as Zero no Kiseki in Japan, is a 2010 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. It takes place in Crossbell, a city-state located between two great powers fighting for control over it, and follows Lloyd Bannings and his colleagues Elie MacDowell, Randy Orlando, and Tio Plato. The four form the Special Support Section, a newly formed department of the Crossbell police. The game and its 2011 sequel, Trails to Azure, form the Crossbell arc of the series.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel</i> 2013 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a 2013 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. It was initially released in Japan for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita before being localized in English by Xseed Games in 2015.

Takahiro Yoshimizu is a Japanese voice actor and narrator who is affiliated with Aoni Production. He has been active in the voice talent business since 1988.

<i>The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails</i> 2012 video game

The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails, known as Nayuta no Kiseki in Japan, is a 2012 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. It was first released in Japan for PlayStation Portable. A high-definition remaster was released in Japan for PlayStation 4 and Windows in 2021 and for Nintendo Switch in 2022. This version was localized in English by NIS America and released in September 2023.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC</i> 2006 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC is a 2006 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series, and serves as a direct sequel to The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky. It was first released in Japan for Windows in 2006 before releasing for the PlayStation Portable the following year.

<i>Trails</i> (series) Video game franchise

Trails, known as Kiseki (軌跡) in Japan, is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Nihon Falcom. It is a part of their larger The Legend of Heroes franchise and began with the release of Trails in the Sky in 2004. Trails features a large cast of characters and consists of interconnected story arcs set in different nations on the continent of Zemuria: Liberl, Crossbell, Erebonia, and Calvard. The series primarily features turn-based combat, with a few spin-offs and more recent entries featuring other styles of gameplay.

<i>Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana</i> 2016 video game

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is a 2016 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom and published by NIS America. A part of the Ys series, it was first released in Japan by Falcom for the PlayStation Vita in July 2016, with later worldwide releases for PlayStation 4, Windows, Nintendo Switch, Amazon Luna, Stadia and PlayStation 5. An abridged version for Android and iOS, Ys VIII Mobile, is also scheduled for release. Ys VIII had sold over 500,000 copies by the end of 2018. The game was followed up by Ys IX: Monstrum Nox in 2019.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails at Sunrise</i> 2016 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails at Sunrise, known in Japanese as Akatsuki no Kiseki, is a 2016 role-playing gacha game developed by UserJoy Technology and published by Nihon Falcom. It is a spin-off of the Trails series, itself a part of The Legend of Heroes franchise, and was first released in Japan for browsers. Trails at Sunrise was later ported to Windows, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation and Switch versions of the game were discontinued in 2022.

<i>Ys vs. Trails in the Sky</i> 2010 video game

Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga is a 2010 crossover fighting game by Nihon Falcom. Similar to the concept of Super Smash Bros. and Dissidia Final Fantasy, the game involves players choosing a character and participating in up to four-player fights against other characters sourced from Falcom's Ys and Trails role-playing game series. It was released only in Japan for the PlayStation Portable on July 29.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II</i> 2014 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is a 2014 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series, and serves as a sequel to The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III</i> 2017 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III is a 2017 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series, and serves as a direct sequel to The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure</i> 2011 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure, known as Ao no Kiseki in Japan, is a 2011 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. Trails to Azure serves as a sequel to Trails from Zero (2010), forming the second and final part of the series' "Crossbell arc".

<i>Ys IX: Monstrum Nox</i> 2019 video game

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a 2019 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. A part of the Ys series, it was released for the PlayStation 4 in Japan in September 2019 and worldwide by NIS America in February 2021. The game received additional releases for Windows, Nintendo Switch and Stadia in July 2021, and PlayStation 5 in May 2023. Ys IX received generally positive reviews from critics.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV</i> 2018 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is a 2018 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series, and is the sequel to Trails of Cold Steel III and the final entry of the Trails of Cold Steel arc.

In the video game industry, 2022 saw the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry, slowing hardware sales for most of the year as well as development delays for major titles. The industry continued its trend of acquisitions and mergers, highlighted by Microsoft announcing its plan to acquire Activision Blizzard for nearly $69 billion. The industry as a whole continued to deal with issues such as workplace harassment and discrimination, alongside crunch periods, leading to at least the quality assurance staff at three separate studios to vote to unionize.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie</i> 2020 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie is a 2020 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is a part of the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series. It was released in Japan for the PlayStation 4 in August 2020, with ports released for the Nintendo Switch and Windows in August 2021. An English version was released in July 2023, additionally being ported to PlayStation 5. Trails into Reverie is considered the end of the series's Crossbell and Erebonia arcs and serves as the precursor to The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak.

References

  1. ↑ Galizio, James. "Kuro no Kiseki ushers in a new dawn for the Trails series". RPG Site. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  2. ↑ Stenbuck, Kite. "Nihon Falcom reveals The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki, set for release in 2021". RPG Site. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  3. ↑ "The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki launches September 30 in Japan for PS4". Gematsu. May 25, 2021. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  4. ↑ Romano, Sal (April 28, 2022). "The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki coming to PS5 on July 28 in Japan and Asia, PC in Asia". Gematsu. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  5. ↑ Joshua, Orpheus (July 25, 2022). "'The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki' English Fan-Translated Spreadsheet Overlay Announced for PC Version This Week via ZeroField". Noisy Pixel. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  6. ↑ Joshua, Orpheus (September 2022). "[UPDATE] NIS America Asks The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki Spreadsheet Creators To Cease Their Work". Noisy Pixel. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  7. ↑ Joshua, Orpheus (March 1, 2023). "UPDATE: NIS America Publishes The Legend Of Heroes: Kuro No Kiseki On PC Via Steam; English Release Confirmed - Noisy Pixel". Noisy Pixel. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  8. ↑ Romano, Sal (March 5, 2024). "The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak launches July 5 in the west". Gematsu. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  9. ↑ "The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak for Switch launches February 15, 2024 in Japan, in March 2024 in Asia". Gematsu. November 2, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Famitsu Sales: 9/27/21 – 10/3/21 [Update]". October 7, 2021. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  11. ↑ Romano, Sal (October 21, 2021). "Famitsu Sales: 10/11/21 – 10/17/21 [Update]". Gematsu. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  12. ↑ Romano, Sal (August 4, 2022). "Famitsu Sales: 7/25/22 – 7/31/22 [Update]". Gematsu. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.