Before I go ahead and sing this game's praises, I would just like to say that The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is indeed a valid starting point for newcomers interested in the series. Yes there will be references to previous games that you will miss, guest character appearances that will go over your head, etc.. But even without all that knowledge and experience, you will still be getting a fantastic JRPG with a very-likable cast of characters, engaging battle system, varied customization options, and the series' signature deep world-building.

This game's greatest strength is most certainly the story and its main protagonist, Van Arkride. Van works as a Spriggan, which is essentially the series' version of a private detective, and he essentially takes odd jobs from anyone both good and bad as long as they can pay. This allows the story to explore more grey areas that even the previous games would usually only bring up every once in a while. The story also places a large emphasis of developing Van as a character with how he deals with requests, his interactions with the other characters (his employees especially), and the unfolding truths of his sensitive past that all help build up to an emotional yet epic finale.

The game's main setting this time is the long teased Republic of Calvard. Throughout the campaign you will be going through the central city of Edith as well as the surrounding cities completing odd jobs while dealing with the mafia along the way. Each city offers its unique feel from the cozy village of Creil, the technological institute of Basel, to the eastern landscapes of Long-Lai that all help paint the picture of Calvard being a traditionally diverse country. The odd jobs that you will be doing in those cities will also add points onto your alignment chart consisting of law, chaos, and gray. Leveling up an alignment will yield certain rewards such as equipment or Holo-cores for Van. Some jobs will even give the choice to choose certain actions from different alignments that will give bonus alignment points by the end of it. In short, it took a while for us to finally be able to explore Calvard but thankfully the wait was well worth it with how expertly realized it all is.

Other than the story, Falcom have also taken great strides in reworking the series' battle system. You have two options available to you those being Field Battles and Command Battles. In Field Battles you are able to fight enemies directly on the map similar to an action-RPG but much more simplified since you only have a basic attack that can turn into a combo string with repeated presses, a charge attack, and a dodge. From my experience, the field battles basically serve two functions: to be able to mow through weaker enemies quickly without having to switch battle modes, and to get more formidable enemies to a stunned state so you can switch into Command battles with a Battle Advantage at the start. As its own thing the Field Battles aren't really anything special but since they are supposed to be complementary to the Command battles I'd say they are a good addition.

The Command Battles are where the gameplay adjustments are truly felt. In battle you are able to move your characters freely within a certain space and once you choose an action (attack, guard, arts, crafts, items) your turn ends and moves on to the next character. It isn't just the standard turn based affair however. Several additions have been made to help improve the engagement of these encounters. For example some skills have a positioning bonus based on if your hitting an enemy from the sides or the back. Then there is the SCLM system where if two party members are positioned close with each other they can then assist with following up basic attacks or even power up the other's crafts or arts. In addition there's the reworked Orbment system which can also help with the build variety that you can have. There is a lot more to cover concerning the Command Battles but all in all it is very solid.

The soundtrack is something that has to be mentioned with all Falcom games and Daybreak's ost overall.. is just okay. There are still standout tracks sprinkled in here and there, especially during the finale, but according to the standard set by earlier titles in the series the selection on offer as whole could have been better. The main city theme is cozy, the standard battle theme is catchy, and some of the emotional cut scene music is beautiful, but I always had a feeling while playing that a lot of the songs are still missing something to make them stand out more. Thankfully this isn't going to be a deal breaker for anyone who is playing but still I feel this is worth mentioning especially for those who are passionate about these games' soundtracks.

There is so much more that I REALLY want to talk about with this game but I already feel as though this review's already long enough and that I already got across the main points that I adore about this game. is a standout JRPG in a sea of already amazing JRPGs. The story, characters, and world-building of the series are some of the best here, in addition with the snappy feeling gameplay and combat it really makes this game hard to put down. To reiterate, if your someone who wants to start the series and don't know where to start, go ahead and try this one . This series is genuinely something you need to experience for yourself.