That's the problem with hardcore Falcom fans recommending people start from the very beginning - there's either this regret that people didn't start sooner, or that the game they really wanted to play is several games down the line. As I said in my review, Reverie served as a clean break for the series. Yes, you're going to know very, very few bits about what happened before when you play Daybreak, but nothing that will ruin your entire experience should you play those games. So if you really want to play Daybreak, I say go for it! Don't punish yourself by forcing a playthrough of other games if this shiny new one looks good to you!
Yeah, it's definitely a journey. I started with Sky FC last February and am now at the epilogue of Cold Steel 4. I've loved the journey of playing through them in order (understanding all the references and getting excited about all the cameos), but I fully support people jumping in at whatever point in the series makes sense for them! I'm glad that Daybreak is giving us a new entry point for people who might otherwise be turned away by the length of the series.
@@BacklogBattle The issue is that it will permanently ruin the best possible experience. Every game is peak so you're correct to say that they will still have a great time regardless of where they start, but the best possible experience will always be to play from the beginning. I would never encourage someone to lessen the experience of what I consider to be the greatest franchise of all time. There may never be another experience like this, or at least not any time soon. And once you get spoiled, that's it, you can't undo it. And I can speak from experience, because I started with the cold steel 3 demo on switch, realized i liked the game, and went back to fc but even just the hour or so I played was too much, and I couldn't forget what I had seen. Don't want to spoil specifics, but because of the intro to cold steel 3 i knew the outcome to the major event that takes place during Cold Steel 2, so my experience was lessened. I'm so glad I didn't see more than I did. It's not gatekeeping, it's genuine concern for others, and wanting them to have the best possible experience long term. Instant gratification instead of long term benefit is what you are promoting.
Fantastic! Thanks so much Alex. I have been one of those who just feels like going back to the beginning is too much. Thanks for letting us know we can start here. I think I will finally try it.
Ignore any of the nay sayers that say you must start at the beginning, if this game catches your eye, play it, if you want to go back and play the older ones do it, if not you can always just watch recaps of the story on RUclips.
Agree i don't play games for the story just the gameplay, as long as there is a story, i'm 65 and love the simpleness of it, i don't have the luxury of a very young and fast mind.
I still have 7 games to beat to get through Reverie. This convinced me to jump straight into Daybreak and beat it. Then I can be caught up with the Calvard arc and continue to play through the previous arcs while I wait for Daybreak 2.
Honestly it's not that this game won't spoil you on the previous entries' stories. It absolutely would. But it's sufficiently disconnected with them enough to not go into detail, and this is still a better place to start than going back to a two decade old tip-down sprite game that would potentielly just get you burned out before you reach whatever initially caught your interest.
To be fair though that two decade old top down sprite game ends in such a way that if you're not automatically sucked into the series then none of them are going to do it for you. Otherwise agree there are spoilers for the older games and things you may not entirely understand as a result in Kuro but is as clean an entry point you're going to find (especially when the last point in CS 1 is nearly a decade old now)
@@leehardy2025 While it's true that Sky 1's ending does grip you in and makes you want to immediately jump into Sky 2... The early and mid game sections are extremely boring. It is the only trails game that I struggled to finish, those initial 25 hours or so were a slog of endless exposition before the plot picks up.
My favourite game in the series is still Sky SC despite me not being particularly into retro games. A lot of that is due to how amazing the story and characters are so you're mileage with those aspects.
I rarely play video games anymore, but I picked up trails in the sky two and a half years ago and am currently working my way through CS4. Unquestionably my favorite video game series of all time
One thing that is really odd is the completely arbritrary voice acted lines. In a five-minute cutscene, some lines are voice acted, and some you just read, but most of the random voiced lines don't have any additional impact (like ah-ha! moments). I get budget restraints for voice acting but there really isn't any obvious flow to what is voiced and what isn't. And so far in the demo, I seem to take a lot more damage in attack mode, but maybe I just haven't learned the nuances yet. But it really does feel like a Trails game aside from the battle and menu changes. Wander around town, talk to some people, go into a dungeon, watch a lot of cutscenes.etc.
One thing that I used to have in the script for this video is suggesting "dialogue chirps" similar to Persona 5 during those voiced sections, that way, you can at least hear the characters react sometimes. But I opted to remove it because there are PLENTY of other things Falcom could be doing to save money where they need to but they just don't!
I don't get that either. Dub is phenominal and a lot of important scenes and parts are FULLY voiced but then you have scenes where only one character is voiced, or they just voice one line each character. It's really weird and I'd rather have less scenes voiced but have voiced cutscenes just be entirely voiced. Budget is always a consideration but what the hell
This is a really killing the immersion for me, because the Crossbell games had so much more voice acting. I haven´t played the Cold Steel games or Reverie, so I cant tell if its the same there
Oh boy! I so agree about your crittles! Yes - mapping menu functions inside the menu to face buttons is not ergonomic. I hadn't realised the camera judders exist on the PS5 too (PS4 here); they really need to address that. And that HUD timeline 😵💫 .. It's a shame bc the game as a whole is just so enjoyable.
Yeah, it’s one of the reason I found this review really interesting compared to others I’ve seen which cover much of the same positive points. He’s fair but critical and not afraid to say what he didn’t like.
I'm in the middle of making my way through the Cold Steel arc. I can't wait to get to Daybreak, it looks incredible. Currently fighting the urge to jump ahead haha. Great video!!
I've played the demo and was overall impressed. Gotta say, I always loved how they improved and added new features from game to game. There is a 30 fps cap option on PS5 now, but I didn't care about it as I didn't experience problems with fps, but I'm not sensitive to it or maybe they fixed it. What I didn't like, however, is the menu UI (I find it ugly and hard to navigate), as you said the timeline during battles, the way they indicate whether an enemy is in the area of effect of a skill and how there were dubbed voice lines out of nowhere in certain dialogues, but then revert to non-voiced, it's just weird. Also, Agnés and Van's appearance is well not bad, but after Cold steel games... yeah, pretty samey. I'm not a fan of the Grading system, I don't want to follow a walkthrough on my other monitor, just to not miss out on quests that would be required for and S rank, but at the same time, I don't like when it shoves it into my face that yeah, you missed something sucker!... In contrast, I really like the option to fight without always going turn based, the characters are likeable and interesting in this one as well so far. Pacing felt good in story and so is the movement speed on map with fast travels to boot. Controlling a more level headed, experienced MC is refreshing as well. The alignment is interesting too, although I'm not sure how much it will affect gameplay. Can't wait to play through this game, but before that I want to complete Cold steel IV, Reverie and Azure.
This is my first trails game. I decided to play this alongside playing in order with Sky FC as I heard it's a great jumping in point and I just couldn't wait like 10 or so games 😂
I have tried again and again to play Sky for straight up a decade. Whether or not it is the "ideal" way isn't the question for me anymore, it's whether it can get me interested in the series in general without being egregiously a bad starting point. I was spoiled for Final Fantasy 7 to death before I ever played it and when I did, it still became one of my favorite games.
Despite the hardcore fans suggestions. I started with Trails of Cold Steel since I didn't have access to Trails in the Sky. There's a couple of moments I didn't fully understand in Trails of Cold Steel 4, but nothing that ruined the game for me.
@LastMinuteGuess I didn't start with Sky as I didn't really have a way to play it at the time, so I started with Cold Steel 1. And having played all of them, I can truly say that Daybreak's a great one to start with, for the reasons I mentioned in the video.
Sky is the best to understand the detail of the story but you can totally get away with starting at zero (the game), cold steel 1, trails through daybreak. Each new arc is an entry point and you'll learn some of the context regardless.
@@drewtheunspoken3988 agreed, I started with cold steel 1&2, granted I didn't know there was other games at the time, but when I realized there was sky and crossbell arcs it made me want to go play them.
Lots of fans, some even youtubers that regularly cover the series had their start with Cold Steel. If Daybreak is your entry point there's no need to worry about it as intro games like it and Cold Steel 1 are made exactly as a gateway for new fans too even with the connectivity and I say this as someone who did go in release order from Sky up to Reverie before Daybreak.
Excellent review as always, Alex. I can't wait to play this game, though I'm a long distance away, as I'm only on the second field day of Trails of Cold Steel 1. xD
@@BacklogBattle I would, but I've already played through the previous five games, so I'm pretty set on chronological (based on release) progression at this point. I'm a stubborn idiot, haha.
Alex, I’ve seen so many conflicting reports when it comes to the split between story scenes and actual gameplay… are there big portions of the game spent in dialogue? This could be my first jump into the series but I’d like to be well informed. Your video was awesome!
It’s definitely a lot of dialogue, but there’s also a lot of gameplay too, especially if you love diving into the lore of the world and talking to NPCs!
I finished Cold Steel 4 then started Reverie a week ago but I didnt feel as connected to the story since 4 felt like the ending. So I’m excited to start Daybreak then go back to Reverie later
I love Falcom's Ys series and have been told to play the Trails games, but I get very intimidated by how many games there are in the series and I'm frankly not as interested in turn-based combat. I may give this a try while waiting for Ys X though.
@Veo87 As long as you know that the action combat isn't available all the time, I think you'll be fine in Daybreak! Also, I think the way it handles turn-based combat is actioney enough that you might even like it!
@@BacklogBattle I was able to play and beat the Sea of Stars game, which is turn-based. I'm also going through some Radiant Historia on my 3DS right now. So, I'm probably building up a tolerance for that kind of combat system.
Having tried to get started on Sky a few times in the past, I'm always interested in more accessible starting points in the Trials series. The interplay between action and turn-based combat is so tantalizing. This might be the one!!
I have tried time and time again to get into this series with Cold Steel. I actually finished Cold Steel 1, but after doing so I started wondering if I was getting too old to appreciate JRPGs anymore......I was 15... I think it's safe to say this series isn't for me. Good to know that I can check this one out first if I ever try again 👌
I've been looking for a jumping in point. No way in hell I'm playing nine last gen titles. Almost through the demo and I'm just gonna buy it. Once I saw the combat in that first dungeon, I was in!
I have played these games since Trails in the Sky 1 on PSP and so far the only one I haven't done is Sky 3rd because, well, I just didn't want to re-play Sky 1/2 on Steam because I wanted to be able to trasnfer my save. This may change if Sky 1-3 get released on consoles like Switch but otherwise... nah. Anyway I've played every release since Sky 1. I played Sky 1/2 on PSP, CS 1/2 on PS3, then CS3/4 on Switch along with Zero/Azure then Reverie. I'd say I had an easier time since y'know I played since the beginning. I'd say Daybreak is a great place to start since it is a new arc and also just advertised as such. Reverie was playing it as a trail that is ending, with a new one begins and Daybreak as a new trail beginning. I was so blown away by the demo, just playing the prologue was amazing and I really really love that some stuff at the end of the demo addressed a few things that CS4 and Reverie just outright hinted at. Don't want to spoil it but oh it's nice to finally see what they were talking about.
Why can't they make a game with a beginning, a middle and an end? This would solve a lot of problems for those new to the series. XD Like Persona or shin megami tensei, each game is their own thing. Sure, there are some cameos and easter eggs here and there but you don't need a Bible of 20 video games to keep up with the story. Most fans from this series seem suggest to play all the other games to get the most out of it which is intimidating... Aside from Ys 3, 7 and 8, I've only played Cold Steel 1 and Tokyo Xanadu eX+ but I didn't like the game flow, too many "time constraints" and missables on side quests and stuff but it seems it's a thing on their games. However, I'll keep Trails through Daybreak in mind because it looks cool and it's seems this time I don't need to play "Trails from before 20 games" to enjoy it xD Thanks for the Review :)
A lot of people out there will try to argue against my point, but Daybreak *is* the perfect entry to the series. There's plenty others, but this one is the best one.
I'm hoping that this game grows on me. I bought the game two days ago and I'm around 4 hours into it and so far it does not feel like a Trails game. Over the last 4 months I just beat Trails of Cold Steel I-IV and then Trails Into Reverie. I loved all five of those games but this does not seem like a Trails game. I know that Trails games start all slow and then get better but for the first 4 hours that I played the game I almost feel like I'm playing a Judgment game instead of a Trails game. Plus I don't like the music in this game so far. In my opinion Trails of Cold Steel I and II had some of the best music of any jrpg that I've ever played. III and IV and Reverie had good music too, but this music isn't clicking with me.
What do you mean? Are you talking about the japanese version? Because the english one comes out on 5th July. It's 2 july today. How did you play it in advance
The frame rate problems of the ps5 port are known since a couple of years. Unfortunately, the reviewers ( including backlog battle) highlighted that the problems were not addressed with western version. The only way to play it at 60fps on ps5 without stutters and judder, is to play the PS4 version on a ps5.
Man, I'm falling behind. I've played every game up to Cold Steel 4, but I just couldn't finish it. And now Reverie is in the way before Daybreak...I think maybe I'm burned out on the series. Daybreak does look good though with the action combat. Maybe I'll just have to settle for plot summaries since Daybreak is another good jump-on point.
I'm weird. I love these Trails games but I can never finish them. I've bought most of them and the Ys series but I never finish them. I need to sit down and finish one. Will I buy Ys X? Yes, will I finish it?.....😅
Can this be my entry point to the series? Please? Tired of Trails fans telling me there's no point unless I start at the beginning and play every single game in order (with maybe a handful of exceptions, but only because certain games are really hard to get). Ain't nobody got time for that.
The ps5 version of the sequel also suffers from framerate issuse which is pretty disappointing. The ps4 version on ps5 is capped at 60fps but it's way too blurry and jaggy.
What do you mean? Are you talking about the japanese version? Because the english one comes out on 5th July. It's 2 july today. How did you play it in advance
I like that Japanese developers are starting to find ways of combining turn-based and action combat. I don't expect it, but it's nice to have different possible approaches to gameplay. I'm really stoked (yes I'm old) to get my hands on this game. Legend of Heroes has become my 2nd favorite JRPG series, after Final Fantasy.
Action combat element are terrible. It takes much longer to stun enemies than in previous games. It should remain full turn based combat as always. Action combat is for Ys.
@narius_jaden215 One or two is okay and leads to a genuine surprise. They really overdid it, though, and it just became an eyeroll moment. If anyone further did "die" it took any impact out of it too, as you knew they'd be back again later. It was really lazy storytelling imo. They could have at least left Miriam dead. I really hated her 😂
@@sonictelephone1526 Here's the thing though man. I have never empathized with the idea that characters dying can improve a story for me. It always leaves a bad taste in my mouth xD I'm a happy go lucky dude in gaming so series that bring back characters after death just make me smile. I don't blame you for having your own opinion, though! I just know that for me, it's only a good thing.
I'll be honest dont start with trails of daybreak thats literally close to the endgame of crimson, which is part 2 of daybreak. I highly recommend you start with the crossbell and erebonia arcs to get a better storyline before starting Daybreak as they stories connect with each other and very important
@@BacklogBattle Personally, having finished Crimson Sin, I would argue that a large part of its emotional impact is lost if you didn't play the prior games (especially concerning Sky the 3rd, Zero, Azure, and especially Reverie). Like, you could get away with not playing them, but then certain moments in Crimson Sin just don't hit as hard. You get the sense that certain characters have "been through a lot", but you haven't played through those moments yourself, so you don't fully get it, if that makes sense? And for me, emotional impact is like the #1 reason I play the series. So I mean, no, prior knowledge isn't required, but I feel like you'd be missing out on a huge part of Crimson Sin if you don't have that prior knowledge. Which like, is especially important with Crimson Sin because it's mainly just a huge character exploration dive... which again, wouldn't really mean that much to you if you don't have knowledge of the previous games I mentioned. But that's just my two mira. In my opinion, Crimson Sin is a "payoff game", but only if you've experienced the games that the culmination of certain character arcs were leading to. Trying to be as vague as I can without spoiling... I'll be interested to see what people think of Crimson Sin when it releases, though~
After trying Cold Steel 1 and watching reviews for pretty much every Kiseki game, I just don’t think the series is for me. They’re just too slow and nothing hooks me. I know they’re well loved and I know they’re not bad but just don’t vibe with me.
Nothing wrong with that. Apart from Tales Of Arise, none of the other Tales games did it for me for example. The same with the Final Fantasy stuff. I love the Trails series, but also the Ys games and Tokyo Xanadu eX+. But also the more "fluffy" games like the Atelier and Blue Reflection games have a high score with me. As said - Everyone is different, and so are the tastes...
I genuinely found this so mediocre that I forgot I played the demo. I've yet to stick to a single Trails game, there is something just tedious about them. The only one I really enjoyed was Azure, that felt organic, the rest just feel generic.
I played and finished all the games before and didn't like this one. Gameplay-wise it felt like a downgrade after Reverie's massive roster (50 playable characters) and the battle system was inferior. The story was also pretty meh. I also dislike Van. Did the series really need another Lloyd / Rean? Van isn't that "grey", he mostly is a goody-two-shoes, like Lloyd and Rean. I'm not in a hurry to play Daybreak 2.
I wish I would have gotten into the series sooner, just started Trails in the Sky SC and everyone is enjoying this latest title, only 9 titles to go.
That's the problem with hardcore Falcom fans recommending people start from the very beginning - there's either this regret that people didn't start sooner, or that the game they really wanted to play is several games down the line. As I said in my review, Reverie served as a clean break for the series. Yes, you're going to know very, very few bits about what happened before when you play Daybreak, but nothing that will ruin your entire experience should you play those games.
So if you really want to play Daybreak, I say go for it! Don't punish yourself by forcing a playthrough of other games if this shiny new one looks good to you!
Yeah, it's definitely a journey. I started with Sky FC last February and am now at the epilogue of Cold Steel 4. I've loved the journey of playing through them in order (understanding all the references and getting excited about all the cameos), but I fully support people jumping in at whatever point in the series makes sense for them! I'm glad that Daybreak is giving us a new entry point for people who might otherwise be turned away by the length of the series.
@@BacklogBattle The issue is that it will permanently ruin the best possible experience. Every game is peak so you're correct to say that they will still have a great time regardless of where they start, but the best possible experience will always be to play from the beginning. I would never encourage someone to lessen the experience of what I consider to be the greatest franchise of all time. There may never be another experience like this, or at least not any time soon. And once you get spoiled, that's it, you can't undo it. And I can speak from experience, because I started with the cold steel 3 demo on switch, realized i liked the game, and went back to fc but even just the hour or so I played was too much, and I couldn't forget what I had seen. Don't want to spoil specifics, but because of the intro to cold steel 3 i knew the outcome to the major event that takes place during Cold Steel 2, so my experience was lessened. I'm so glad I didn't see more than I did. It's not gatekeeping, it's genuine concern for others, and wanting them to have the best possible experience long term. Instant gratification instead of long term benefit is what you are promoting.
Don't worry man, you don't need to rush. And don't feel stuck in the past titles if you don't wanna be.
@@tlk777 I can guarantee you my experience in Sky and Crossbell were enhanced by my time playing Cold Steel.
Fantastic! Thanks so much Alex. I have been one of those who just feels like going back to the beginning is too much. Thanks for letting us know we can start here. I think I will finally try it.
Ignore any of the nay sayers that say you must start at the beginning, if this game catches your eye, play it, if you want to go back and play the older ones do it, if not you can always just watch recaps of the story on RUclips.
Agree i don't play games for the story just the gameplay, as long as there is a story, i'm 65 and love the simpleness of it, i don't have the luxury of a very young and fast mind.
I still have 7 games to beat to get through Reverie. This convinced me to jump straight into Daybreak and beat it. Then I can be caught up with the Calvard arc and continue to play through the previous arcs while I wait for Daybreak 2.
That's a great way to go about things!
Honestly it's not that this game won't spoil you on the previous entries' stories. It absolutely would.
But it's sufficiently disconnected with them enough to not go into detail, and this is still a better place to start than going back to a two decade old tip-down sprite game that would potentielly just get you burned out before you reach whatever initially caught your interest.
To be fair though that two decade old top down sprite game ends in such a way that if you're not automatically sucked into the series then none of them are going to do it for you.
Otherwise agree there are spoilers for the older games and things you may not entirely understand as a result in Kuro but is as clean an entry point you're going to find (especially when the last point in CS 1 is nearly a decade old now)
@@leehardy2025 While it's true that Sky 1's ending does grip you in and makes you want to immediately jump into Sky 2... The early and mid game sections are extremely boring. It is the only trails game that I struggled to finish, those initial 25 hours or so were a slog of endless exposition before the plot picks up.
My favourite game in the series is still Sky SC despite me not being particularly into retro games. A lot of that is due to how amazing the story and characters are so you're mileage with those aspects.
I will buy it at launch, looks great and its a Trails so I know it will be great in lore, storytelling, charachters,gameplay and music.
I rarely play video games anymore, but I picked up trails in the sky two and a half years ago and am currently working my way through CS4. Unquestionably my favorite video game series of all time
One thing that is really odd is the completely arbritrary voice acted lines. In a five-minute cutscene, some lines are voice acted, and some you just read, but most of the random voiced lines don't have any additional impact (like ah-ha! moments). I get budget restraints for voice acting but there really isn't any obvious flow to what is voiced and what isn't. And so far in the demo, I seem to take a lot more damage in attack mode, but maybe I just haven't learned the nuances yet. But it really does feel like a Trails game aside from the battle and menu changes. Wander around town, talk to some people, go into a dungeon, watch a lot of cutscenes.etc.
One thing that I used to have in the script for this video is suggesting "dialogue chirps" similar to Persona 5 during those voiced sections, that way, you can at least hear the characters react sometimes. But I opted to remove it because there are PLENTY of other things Falcom could be doing to save money where they need to but they just don't!
I don't get that either. Dub is phenominal and a lot of important scenes and parts are FULLY voiced but then you have scenes where only one character is voiced, or they just voice one line each character. It's really weird and I'd rather have less scenes voiced but have voiced cutscenes just be entirely voiced. Budget is always a consideration but what the hell
This is a really killing the immersion for me, because the Crossbell games had so much more voice acting. I haven´t played the Cold Steel games or Reverie, so I cant tell if its the same there
Oh boy! I so agree about your crittles! Yes - mapping menu functions inside the menu to face buttons is not ergonomic. I hadn't realised the camera judders exist on the PS5 too (PS4 here); they really need to address that. And that HUD timeline 😵💫 ..
It's a shame bc the game as a whole is just so enjoyable.
I started with Cold Steel, played all of the 4 games plus Reverie, still need to finish the Crossbell games.
Zero is fantastic, and used to be my favorite Trails game to recommend for newbies!
Y'know I don't think I've seen too many people mention the negatives of the new combat system so good job covering that in the video.
I call it how I see it, so thank you for recognizing that!
Yeah, it’s one of the reason I found this review really interesting compared to others I’ve seen which cover much of the same positive points. He’s fair but critical and not afraid to say what he didn’t like.
I'm in the middle of making my way through the Cold Steel arc. I can't wait to get to Daybreak, it looks incredible. Currently fighting the urge to jump ahead haha. Great video!!
10:56, just wanna say you can steal the turn bonus by stunning an enemy
That's weird - I tried doing that but it never worked for me.
@@BacklogBattle i did it during the demo and it worked fine in the prologue, plus it is in the pop-up menu during one of the early fights
Gameplay should be like Daybreak from now on when making future Trails series, I really enjoyed the battle system.
Can not wait for Friday I be playing this all weekend
I swear, everytime I see the question if "this is the best place to start the series?" The answer is always yes.
Definitely gonna grab this! SMTV isn't clicking with me so gonna try this instead
I've played the demo and was overall impressed.
Gotta say, I always loved how they improved and added new features from game to game. There is a 30 fps cap option on PS5 now, but I didn't care about it as I didn't experience problems with fps, but I'm not sensitive to it or maybe they fixed it.
What I didn't like, however, is the menu UI (I find it ugly and hard to navigate), as you said the timeline during battles, the way they indicate whether an enemy is in the area of effect of a skill and how there were dubbed voice lines out of nowhere in certain dialogues, but then revert to non-voiced, it's just weird. Also, Agnés and Van's appearance is well not bad, but after Cold steel games... yeah, pretty samey. I'm not a fan of the Grading system, I don't want to follow a walkthrough on my other monitor, just to not miss out on quests that would be required for and S rank, but at the same time, I don't like when it shoves it into my face that yeah, you missed something sucker!...
In contrast, I really like the option to fight without always going turn based, the characters are likeable and interesting in this one as well so far. Pacing felt good in story and so is the movement speed on map with fast travels to boot. Controlling a more level headed, experienced MC is refreshing as well. The alignment is interesting too, although I'm not sure how much it will affect gameplay.
Can't wait to play through this game, but before that I want to complete Cold steel IV, Reverie and Azure.
This is my first trails game. I decided to play this alongside playing in order with Sky FC as I heard it's a great jumping in point and I just couldn't wait like 10 or so games 😂
Let me know how it goes!
I have tried again and again to play Sky for straight up a decade. Whether or not it is the "ideal" way isn't the question for me anymore, it's whether it can get me interested in the series in general without being egregiously a bad starting point. I was spoiled for Final Fantasy 7 to death before I ever played it and when I did, it still became one of my favorite games.
Despite the hardcore fans suggestions. I started with Trails of Cold Steel since I didn't have access to Trails in the Sky. There's a couple of moments I didn't fully understand in Trails of Cold Steel 4, but nothing that ruined the game for me.
@LastMinuteGuess I didn't start with Sky as I didn't really have a way to play it at the time, so I started with Cold Steel 1. And having played all of them, I can truly say that Daybreak's a great one to start with, for the reasons I mentioned in the video.
Sky is the best to understand the detail of the story but you can totally get away with starting at zero (the game), cold steel 1, trails through daybreak. Each new arc is an entry point and you'll learn some of the context regardless.
@@drewtheunspoken3988 agreed, I started with cold steel 1&2, granted I didn't know there was other games at the time, but when I realized there was sky and crossbell arcs it made me want to go play them.
Lots of fans, some even youtubers that regularly cover the series had their start with Cold Steel.
If Daybreak is your entry point there's no need to worry about it as intro games like it and Cold Steel 1 are made exactly as a gateway for new fans too even with the connectivity and I say this as someone who did go in release order from Sky up to Reverie before Daybreak.
so pc version over ps5?
Excellent review as always, Alex. I can't wait to play this game, though I'm a long distance away, as I'm only on the second field day of Trails of Cold Steel 1. xD
Let me tell you a secret:
You can skip to this one, then go back to the other games you missed if you want to!
@@BacklogBattle I would, but I've already played through the previous five games, so I'm pretty set on chronological (based on release) progression at this point. I'm a stubborn idiot, haha.
I legit can’t wait. The graphical style reminds me of Tales of Xillia.
Oh wtf i didnt notice that. It does remind me of ToX
I need no explanation. I'm super pumped.
Was waiting for this review, just ordered this game and am looking forward to playing it myself ❤❤
Appreciate your videos a lot thank you❤
You're very welcome!
Alex, I’ve seen so many conflicting reports when it comes to the split between story scenes and actual gameplay… are there big portions of the game spent in dialogue? This could be my first jump into the series but I’d like to be well informed. Your video was awesome!
It’s definitely a lot of dialogue, but there’s also a lot of gameplay too, especially if you love diving into the lore of the world and talking to NPCs!
@@BacklogBattle thanks Alex, I really appreciate your reply! I think I will start my journey with this series here then!!
I finished Cold Steel 4 then started Reverie a week ago but I didnt feel as connected to the story since 4 felt like the ending. So I’m excited to start Daybreak then go back to Reverie later
Reverie really is just an epilogue, so I think you’ll be fine!
I love Falcom's Ys series and have been told to play the Trails games, but I get very intimidated by how many games there are in the series and I'm frankly not as interested in turn-based combat. I may give this a try while waiting for Ys X though.
Could always meet in the middle and play Tokyo Xanadu (if you haven't already.)
@@drewtheunspoken3988 Yeah, I ended up playing that one already, including all of the post main game content and endings.
@Veo87 As long as you know that the action combat isn't available all the time, I think you'll be fine in Daybreak! Also, I think the way it handles turn-based combat is actioney enough that you might even like it!
@@BacklogBattle I was able to play and beat the Sea of Stars game, which is turn-based. I'm also going through some Radiant Historia on my 3DS right now. So, I'm probably building up a tolerance for that kind of combat system.
Having tried to get started on Sky a few times in the past, I'm always interested in more accessible starting points in the Trials series. The interplay between action and turn-based combat is so tantalizing. This might be the one!!
Make sure to check out the demo!
Did you try Cold Steel?
That was my starting point and it has been very enjoyable.
@@Renegator1 I haven't because I've been convinced by the internets that it's not "The Way." Maybe I'll check it out for Steam Summer Sale...
Good, now I don't have to spend a full year playing the older ones to play a game in the series.
I have tried time and time again to get into this series with Cold Steel. I actually finished Cold Steel 1, but after doing so I started wondering if I was getting too old to appreciate JRPGs anymore......I was 15...
I think it's safe to say this series isn't for me. Good to know that I can check this one out first if I ever try again 👌
There *is* a demo of it, should you wish to try it out!
@@BacklogBattle Will do! 🙏
Do I need to play the other Trails to play this?
No
@@siphons5737 will I be able to play all the trails in PS5? Or if not will the list in ps5 suffice?
I've been looking for a jumping in point. No way in hell I'm playing nine last gen titles. Almost through the demo and I'm just gonna buy it. Once I saw the combat in that first dungeon, I was in!
I love the combat in Daybreak!
Is there a PS4 to PS5 free upgrade?
Yes
I have played these games since Trails in the Sky 1 on PSP and so far the only one I haven't done is Sky 3rd because, well, I just didn't want to re-play Sky 1/2 on Steam because I wanted to be able to trasnfer my save. This may change if Sky 1-3 get released on consoles like Switch but otherwise... nah. Anyway I've played every release since Sky 1. I played Sky 1/2 on PSP, CS 1/2 on PS3, then CS3/4 on Switch along with Zero/Azure then Reverie. I'd say I had an easier time since y'know I played since the beginning.
I'd say Daybreak is a great place to start since it is a new arc and also just advertised as such. Reverie was playing it as a trail that is ending, with a new one begins and Daybreak as a new trail beginning. I was so blown away by the demo, just playing the prologue was amazing and I really really love that some stuff at the end of the demo addressed a few things that CS4 and Reverie just outright hinted at. Don't want to spoil it but oh it's nice to finally see what they were talking about.
Why can't they make a game with a beginning, a middle and an end? This would solve a lot of problems for those new to the series. XD
Like Persona or shin megami tensei, each game is their own thing. Sure, there are some cameos and easter eggs here and there but you don't need a Bible of 20 video games to keep up with the story.
Most fans from this series seem suggest to play all the other games to get the most out of it which is intimidating...
Aside from Ys 3, 7 and 8, I've only played Cold Steel 1 and Tokyo Xanadu eX+ but I didn't like the game flow, too many "time constraints" and missables on side quests and stuff but it seems it's a thing on their games.
However, I'll keep Trails through Daybreak in mind because it looks cool and it's seems this time I don't need to play "Trails from before 20 games" to enjoy it xD
Thanks for the Review :)
A lot of people out there will try to argue against my point, but Daybreak *is* the perfect entry to the series. There's plenty others, but this one is the best one.
I tried the demo on Switch and was sold as soon as you turned into the Grendel dude.
That was the "surprise" I was alluding to in the video!
I started with zero and azure - those two games alone are amazing!!
Yea i had to start skipping a lot of pointless dialogue due to what you talked about in the video, but overall it had some enjoyable arcs
I'm hoping that this game grows on me. I bought the game two days ago and I'm around 4 hours into it and so far it does not feel like a Trails game. Over the last 4 months I just beat Trails of Cold Steel I-IV and then Trails Into Reverie. I loved all five of those games but this does not seem like a Trails game. I know that Trails games start all slow and then get better but for the first 4 hours that I played the game I almost feel like I'm playing a Judgment game instead of a Trails game. Plus I don't like the music in this game so far. In my opinion Trails of Cold Steel I and II had some of the best music of any jrpg that I've ever played. III and IV and Reverie had good music too, but this music isn't clicking with me.
Perfect Review 🎉
Both Action and Turn Based like the upcoming Metaphor Re:Fantazio? Gonna try asap!
Similar, but different, but yes!
The frame rate problems is a big turn off. Maybe I'll buy the ps4 version instead of the PS5 version.
What do you mean? Are you talking about the japanese version? Because the english one comes out on 5th July. It's 2 july today. How did you play it in advance
The frame rate problems of the ps5 port are known since a couple of years. Unfortunately, the reviewers ( including backlog battle) highlighted that the problems were not addressed with western version.
The only way to play it at 60fps on ps5 without stutters and judder, is to play the PS4 version on a ps5.
Are there any romance in this game?
In terms of a specific gameplay mechanic? No. In terms of storytelling? One can argue that there is.
Man, I'm falling behind. I've played every game up to Cold Steel 4, but I just couldn't finish it. And now Reverie is in the way before Daybreak...I think maybe I'm burned out on the series. Daybreak does look good though with the action combat. Maybe I'll just have to settle for plot summaries since Daybreak is another good jump-on point.
Maybe try the Daybreak demo first? It's quite beefy at 8 hours. You can always go back to Reverie after Daybreak!
I'm weird. I love these Trails games but I can never finish them. I've bought most of them and the Ys series but I never finish them. I need to sit down and finish one. Will I buy Ys X? Yes, will I finish it?.....😅
This game is amazing ! But can we all agree zin’s voice actor just does NOT suit him lmao😂
Certainly NOT what I was expecting him to sound LOL
Can this be my entry point to the series? Please?
Tired of Trails fans telling me there's no point unless I start at the beginning and play every single game in order (with maybe a handful of exceptions, but only because certain games are really hard to get). Ain't nobody got time for that.
I've got good news for you: Despite what others might say, this is a great entry point! 😊
The ps5 version of the sequel also suffers from framerate issuse which is pretty disappointing. The ps4 version on ps5 is capped at 60fps but it's way too blurry and jaggy.
What do you mean? Are you talking about the japanese version? Because the english one comes out on 5th July. It's 2 july today. How did you play it in advance
Great game with terrible action combat element and downgraded UI in comparison to CS or Reverie.
I like that Japanese developers are starting to find ways of combining turn-based and action combat. I don't expect it, but it's nice to have different possible approaches to gameplay.
I'm really stoked (yes I'm old) to get my hands on this game. Legend of Heroes has become my 2nd favorite JRPG series, after Final Fantasy.
I started with Trails of Cold Steel because of Persona 4 Golden.
@@siphons5737
No.
I was looking for games like Persona 4 that have School.
Action combat element are terrible. It takes much longer to stun enemies than in previous games. It should remain full turn based combat as always. Action combat is for Ys.
So THIS is the entry point?
It says so on the thumbnail!
don't tempt me man. my backlog is huge
Try the demo and see for yourself!
Think I gave up on this series after the 100th "surprise! I'm not really dead" scenario they pulled off during TOCS 3 and 4 🙄
Not so different than Marvel comic stories, to be fair - but I get how taxing that can be!
Meanwhile I fucking love those moments no matter how often they spew them at me :P
@narius_jaden215 One or two is okay and leads to a genuine surprise. They really overdid it, though, and it just became an eyeroll moment. If anyone further did "die" it took any impact out of it too, as you knew they'd be back again later. It was really lazy storytelling imo.
They could have at least left Miriam dead. I really hated her 😂
@@BacklogBattle Well, I like superhero stuff even less 👍
@@sonictelephone1526 Here's the thing though man. I have never empathized with the idea that characters dying can improve a story for me. It always leaves a bad taste in my mouth xD I'm a happy go lucky dude in gaming so series that bring back characters after death just make me smile. I don't blame you for having your own opinion, though! I just know that for me, it's only a good thing.
great review as always - I’ll stick with Shadow of the Erdtree for now
I just beat the final boss so i'm already ready for this ;p.
I'll be honest dont start with trails of daybreak thats literally close to the endgame of crimson, which is part 2 of daybreak. I highly recommend you start with the crossbell and erebonia arcs to get a better storyline before starting Daybreak as they stories connect with each other and very important
I've actually talked to people who have played Crimson and said that while stories did connect, prior knowledge isn't required.
@@BacklogBattle Personally, having finished Crimson Sin, I would argue that a large part of its emotional impact is lost if you didn't play the prior games (especially concerning Sky the 3rd, Zero, Azure, and especially Reverie). Like, you could get away with not playing them, but then certain moments in Crimson Sin just don't hit as hard. You get the sense that certain characters have "been through a lot", but you haven't played through those moments yourself, so you don't fully get it, if that makes sense? And for me, emotional impact is like the #1 reason I play the series.
So I mean, no, prior knowledge isn't required, but I feel like you'd be missing out on a huge part of Crimson Sin if you don't have that prior knowledge. Which like, is especially important with Crimson Sin because it's mainly just a huge character exploration dive... which again, wouldn't really mean that much to you if you don't have knowledge of the previous games I mentioned.
But that's just my two mira. In my opinion, Crimson Sin is a "payoff game", but only if you've experienced the games that the culmination of certain character arcs were leading to. Trying to be as vague as I can without spoiling... I'll be interested to see what people think of Crimson Sin when it releases, though~
After trying Cold Steel 1 and watching reviews for pretty much every Kiseki game, I just don’t think the series is for me. They’re just too slow and nothing hooks me. I know they’re well loved and I know they’re not bad but just don’t vibe with me.
That’s fine everyone enjoys there own thing
Nothing wrong with that. Apart from Tales Of Arise, none of the other Tales games did it for me for example. The same with the Final Fantasy stuff. I love the Trails series, but also the Ys games and Tokyo Xanadu eX+. But also the more "fluffy" games like the Atelier and Blue Reflection games have a high score with me.
As said - Everyone is different, and so are the tastes...
I feel the Calvard arc is the weakest in the series, still a good game though
I genuinely found this so mediocre that I forgot I played the demo. I've yet to stick to a single Trails game, there is something just tedious about them. The only one I really enjoyed was Azure, that felt organic, the rest just feel generic.
I played and finished all the games before and didn't like this one. Gameplay-wise it felt like a downgrade after Reverie's massive roster (50 playable characters) and the battle system was inferior. The story was also pretty meh. I also dislike Van. Did the series really need another Lloyd / Rean? Van isn't that "grey", he mostly is a goody-two-shoes, like Lloyd and Rean. I'm not in a hurry to play Daybreak 2.
I actually think that Reverie's massive roster was to its detriment