If you ever needed an excuse to get into Trails, Falcom's epic JRPG series that has now spanned more than 20 years, then the excellent Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, also the best remake of 2025, is easily the best place to start. By that logic, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is arguably a worse game to begin with, and if you decide to jump into this having just played Estelle and Joshua's bracer adventure, it would be like watching the first episode of Game of Thrones before skipping straight to season 8.
Yet, there are reasons why the latest arc in the series may be more appealing for newcomers. Set in the Calvard Republic, the fourth major setting so far in the fictional continent of Zemuria, there's a far more complex narrative that covers a lot of mature topics. That's best exemplified by your protagonist Van, a kind of detective and bounty hunter whose job involves working in the shadows, which feels more sophisticated and refreshing than the wide-eyed do-gooder adolescents of previous entries.
