Three routes, one huge space race
By Paul Hunter
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon hits PS5 as Nihon Falcom’s latest chapter in Zemuria, with NIS America once again handling the Western release. This is the 13th entry in the over two-decades-long running series, and it’s also the third game in the Calvard arc that kicked off with Trails Through Daybreak.
This time, Falcom uses a three-route structure where you swap between different lead groups, with Van Arkride, Rean Schwarzer, and Kevin Graham each getting their own storyline. It’s a setup that screams fan service, bringing back fan-favourite characters, but also hints at the series future with Calvard’s manned rocket launch into space hanging over everything like a countdown. If you already know this world and its cast, this latest entry will feel immediately at home, and if you're new to the series, you're in for a huge journey filled with some of the RPG genre's most memorable characters.
So, is Trails Beyond the Horizon the next big RPG you should play on PS5? Let’s find out!
The game then swaps over to that second crew consisting of Rean Schwarzer from the Trails of Cold Steel storyline and Kevin Graham, the lead from Trails in the Sky the 3rd. Beyond the Horizon then kicks off its three parallel storyline paths led by Van, Rean, and Kevin over a tight three-day span.
All three routes take place under the same headline event, with the Calvardian government preparing the first manned rocket launch the series has ever seen. President Roy Cramheart is the one pushing that promise into reality, and that launch countdown hangs over everything even when each main character is chasing its own leads. The storylines mostly stick to their own paths, but there brief points where the groups connect through the Grim Garten, a shared virtual space similar to the Marchen Garten focusing on ever-changing procedurally generated dungeons.
When the final stretch hits, Beyond the Horizon starts dropping twists that reframe familiar faces across the series. By the time the credits roll, the Calvard arc has been pushed into a much bigger place, and there's still a lot to unpack, presumably setting up the next mainline entry.
Once you shift into turn-based, positioning matters, and you can move within a set area before committing to an action, which depending on the move can hit multiple enemies if you line things up right. On top of that, the battle timeline is key to manage as turn bonuses and enemy delay options help you succeed in battle, and it’s satisfying when you string together multiple actions while an enemy's turn gets pushed back.
Beyond the Horizon layers in key new gameplay additions as well, including BLTZ, Shard Commands, ZOC, and Awakening. BLTZ lets your reserve allies jump in as a free chain link to dish out extra attacks or boosts. Shard Commands spend the S-Boost gauge on party-wide buffs for a set number of turns, and bosses can fire them off too. ZOC can give you an immediate extra turn in turn-based and slow time in real-time, while Awakening drains S-Boost for a damage surge and passive healing. Van also gets to transform into the Grendel more often in certain fights, which fits the game’s higher stakes.
Crafts, which are each character’s special skills, return in this game and they level up the more you use them, so a move you rely on a lot can hit harder or offer stronger effects over time. The Orbment system also returns, letting you slot Quartz elemental crystals for new arts, passives, and stat boosts, and small changes can shift a character’s role in the party in tangible ways.
The standout visual upgrade is how the game has fully animated event scenes, which look closer to pre-rendered cutscenes than the usual in-engine talk moments. These sequences have been around in recent entries, but Beyond the Horizon ups the quality and uses them more often, and it pays off when the story ramps up. They give important conversations and turning points more energy than in previous entries, and they help the late-game stretch flow with real momentum.
Sound is another big win. The soundtrack is easily the best of the Calvard arc, and it knows when to hold back and when to ramp up the intensity. Over the game's lengthy 50-hour campaign (100+ with side quests), several boss tracks stuck in my head long after I shut the console down. The English voice acting is also strong across the cast, and Sean Chiplock stepping back into Rean’s role is a highlight that longtime fans should get excited about.
I did encounter a few crashes on PS5, but thankfully the frequent autosave kept the setbacks small, and I was back in fights quickly.
Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Developer: Nihon Falcom
Publisher: NIS America
Genre: Role-Playing Game
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon hits PS5 as Nihon Falcom’s latest chapter in Zemuria, with NIS America once again handling the Western release. This is the 13th entry in the over two-decades-long running series, and it’s also the third game in the Calvard arc that kicked off with Trails Through Daybreak.
This time, Falcom uses a three-route structure where you swap between different lead groups, with Van Arkride, Rean Schwarzer, and Kevin Graham each getting their own storyline. It’s a setup that screams fan service, bringing back fan-favourite characters, but also hints at the series future with Calvard’s manned rocket launch into space hanging over everything like a countdown. If you already know this world and its cast, this latest entry will feel immediately at home, and if you're new to the series, you're in for a huge journey filled with some of the RPG genre's most memorable characters.
So, is Trails Beyond the Horizon the next big RPG you should play on PS5? Let’s find out!
Story and Narrative
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon opens three months after Trails Through Daybreak II with an Augmented Reality combat simulation for the Marduk Company, a Calvard tech giant operating on the continent of Zemuria. Van Arkride returns from the previous two games and is front and centre in the drill alongside his part-time assistant Feri Al-Fayed and his teacher Bergard Zeman. Halfway through, the exercise flips into a race once it becomes clear another team has been running the opposite side of the training area the whole time.The game then swaps over to that second crew consisting of Rean Schwarzer from the Trails of Cold Steel storyline and Kevin Graham, the lead from Trails in the Sky the 3rd. Beyond the Horizon then kicks off its three parallel storyline paths led by Van, Rean, and Kevin over a tight three-day span.
All three routes take place under the same headline event, with the Calvardian government preparing the first manned rocket launch the series has ever seen. President Roy Cramheart is the one pushing that promise into reality, and that launch countdown hangs over everything even when each main character is chasing its own leads. The storylines mostly stick to their own paths, but there brief points where the groups connect through the Grim Garten, a shared virtual space similar to the Marchen Garten focusing on ever-changing procedurally generated dungeons.
When the final stretch hits, Beyond the Horizon starts dropping twists that reframe familiar faces across the series. By the time the credits roll, the Calvard arc has been pushed into a much bigger place, and there's still a lot to unpack, presumably setting up the next mainline entry.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Trails Beyond the Horizon sticks with the Daybreak hybrid combat format, and it still hits that sweet spot of excellent action RPG and turn-based RPG combat options. How it works is on the field, you swing to chip an enemy’s health down, build a gauge, and cash it in for a stun attack that sets up the turn-based switch. You also have familiar staples the series is known for like charge attacks, reaction attacks, and Quick Arts to keep those openings coming.Once you shift into turn-based, positioning matters, and you can move within a set area before committing to an action, which depending on the move can hit multiple enemies if you line things up right. On top of that, the battle timeline is key to manage as turn bonuses and enemy delay options help you succeed in battle, and it’s satisfying when you string together multiple actions while an enemy's turn gets pushed back.
Beyond the Horizon layers in key new gameplay additions as well, including BLTZ, Shard Commands, ZOC, and Awakening. BLTZ lets your reserve allies jump in as a free chain link to dish out extra attacks or boosts. Shard Commands spend the S-Boost gauge on party-wide buffs for a set number of turns, and bosses can fire them off too. ZOC can give you an immediate extra turn in turn-based and slow time in real-time, while Awakening drains S-Boost for a damage surge and passive healing. Van also gets to transform into the Grendel more often in certain fights, which fits the game’s higher stakes.
Crafts, which are each character’s special skills, return in this game and they level up the more you use them, so a move you rely on a lot can hit harder or offer stronger effects over time. The Orbment system also returns, letting you slot Quartz elemental crystals for new arts, passives, and stat boosts, and small changes can shift a character’s role in the party in tangible ways.
Presentation and Audio
Visually, Trails Beyond the Horizon utilizes Falcom’s newer engine and the end result is a fantastic looking PS5 game. You get sharp image quality with excellent detail in character models and effects, and the game mostly holds a firm 60fps during exploration and battles. Combat visuals also have more punch this time, with arts and bigger attacks using flashier animations and improved dynamic camera work.The standout visual upgrade is how the game has fully animated event scenes, which look closer to pre-rendered cutscenes than the usual in-engine talk moments. These sequences have been around in recent entries, but Beyond the Horizon ups the quality and uses them more often, and it pays off when the story ramps up. They give important conversations and turning points more energy than in previous entries, and they help the late-game stretch flow with real momentum.
Sound is another big win. The soundtrack is easily the best of the Calvard arc, and it knows when to hold back and when to ramp up the intensity. Over the game's lengthy 50-hour campaign (100+ with side quests), several boss tracks stuck in my head long after I shut the console down. The English voice acting is also strong across the cast, and Sean Chiplock stepping back into Rean’s role is a highlight that longtime fans should get excited about.
I did encounter a few crashes on PS5, but thankfully the frequent autosave kept the setbacks small, and I was back in fights quickly.
The Verdict
Trails Beyond the Horizon feels built for fans who already know Zemuria, but it's three-route structure feels fresh and pushes the Calvard arc into exciting new directions. Combat is easily the best in the series yet, mixing quick field encounters with deeper turn-based planning and plenty of build options for your party. Presentation on PS5 is outstanding with its strong visuals, cutscene-like event scenes that elevate big moments, and the best soundtrack the arc has delivered. I hit a few minor technical bumps during my run, but nothing that derailed the journey. It's easily a must-play for fans, and if you haven't played the series yet, now's the time to dive in.Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon details
Platform: PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PS4, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: Nihon Falcom
Publisher: NIS America
Genre: Role-Playing Game
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.