My official entry point for the Trails series was Trails of Cold Steel for a series of Let’s Play recordings several years ago. I liked it, but I was unsure of the direction the games might take. As the final scene played out and the credits began to roll, I was hooked.
I immediately jumped into Trails of Cold Steel II, and it quickly became my favorite in the series. Trails of Cold Steel II grabbed me with its darker storyline in contrast to its predecessor. I was deeply invested in the story and characters, and excited for where things would go in Cold Steel III.
But that’s where the burnout began. Trails games are not short endeavors. We completed everything each game had to offer, making our playthroughs range from 90-100 hours each. Between the long-winded, superfluous dialogue and a gameplay formula that could feel repetitive, I watched the credits of Trails of Cold Steel III with concern. I was not the biggest fan. But I thought, perhaps Trails of Cold Steel IV would fix many of those issues.
For me, it did not.
Trails of Cold Steel IV had the longest runtime of all four games, suffering from a padded storyline and excessive filler. The “fate of the world” story stakes were incongruous with the bonding event scenes. The game’s harem-esque, “free-for-all” romance mechanics were so uncomfortable that I didn’t want to spend time with any of the female party members. Worst of all, the storytelling decision to blame everyone’s bad choices on a “curse” was mindboggling and a complete insult to the fanbase’s intelligence.
It was at this point that the love I once had for the series turned sour. I began to resent it. After watching the series go off of the rails in Trails of Cold Steel III and Trails of Cold Steel IV, I was tired of the story and characters. I had no interest in playing Trails into Reverie, and declared the series would need to do a lot of work to win me back.
A few years later, and Trails Through Daybreak released last month. Featuring a completely new cast and setting, it felt like the best opportunity to give the series a second chance.
So far, it’s looking promising. Trails Through Daybreak has impressed me with its more mature and nuanced take on the worldbuilding. The story is intriguing and character-focused. There are hints of something more sinister, but for now, I am enjoying the smaller-scale stakes and storytelling. The combat system is faster and more streamlined. Van is an excellent and fully-realized protagonist. We’re only a couple of chapters in, but his personality and morals are far more fleshed out than Rean ever was.
Most importantly, Van’s status as an older protagonist allows the story to go to more mature and interesting places. These aren’t high school students navigating classes and petty disagreements. Yes, some of the party members may be young, but because he’s positioned as their mentor, it means that he’s willing to make the hard choices for them. Van’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes and how it will challenge them further.
Trails Through Daybreak is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch.
Featured image: NIS America (via Nintendo)
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