Latest Reviews of Nihon Falcom Games
Review Ys X: Nordics (Switch) - Another Great Entry, Though We're Not Sold On The Sailing
Name a more iconic Duo, I'll wait
Though the Ys series has been around for decades now (it even predates Final Fantasy), its release history in the West was rather inconsistent until the mid-2000s and the series only really became relevant again to the Nintendo fanbase with the release of Ys VIII in 2018. After a decent follow-up a few years ago...
Dawn of a new day
To someone who isn’t an avid fan, the Legend of Heroes series can seem a little difficult to break into. The dozen or so games released over the past two decades are spread across four distinct arcs that all collectively built out one of the most detailed and tightly interconnected universes in all of gaming, one which is still...
Review The Legend Of Nayuta: Boundless Trails (Switch) - A Solid Port Of This Unique PSP Spin-Off
Back on the Trails
The Trails series is known for its incredible worldbuilding through many different games, including Trails of Cold Steel, Trails from Zero, and Trails to Azure, as well as Trails in the Sky. The events of those games culminated with Trails into Reverie, which finally got
Review The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie (Switch) - A Refreshing Entry In The Kiseki Series
"Thought is the labour of the intellect, reverie is its pleasure"
Movement is such an integral part of the Trails/Kiseki series – both in a literal and figurative sense. The focus on transportation, walking, and familiarising yourself with the geography and inhabitants of Zemuria is paired with moments of political navigation, those who refuse to...
Review The Legend Of Heroes: Trails To Azure (Switch) - Crossbell's Conclusion Is A Cracking RPG
Blue-sky thinking
The release of the Crossbell Saga in English has been a long time coming for fans of the Trails series. And with The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero’s cracking debut last September, the wait for Trails to Azure has had us salivating. And finally, the missing gap in the series has been filled, and the conclusion of the...
It's more than zero
We don't blame you if you’re intimidated by Falcom’s The Legend of Heroes: Trails series. This massive saga is now up to its twelfth mainline game in Japan, with the West falling behind at an alarming rate. However, one piece of the puzzle has been missing for years – Crossbell. After years of begging, fans are finally...
Review Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (Switch) - A Fine Action-RPG With Performance Issues On Switch
Ysy like Sunday morning
It’s been a little over three years since we last saw a new entry in the Ys (rhymes with “geese”) franchise, when Lacrimosa of Dana broke the nearly twenty-year period where new entries skipped Nitnendo consoles. We absolutely loved that release, and now that Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is out, we can confidently say that it...
Best in class
Much like Koei’s Atelier series, Nihon Falcom’s Legend of Heroes games are some of the best RPGs that you’ve never played. Engrossing storytelling is one of the cornerstones of the RPG genre, and no other series exemplifies this as well as the Legend of Heroes. The story began with Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes way back in...
Review Ys Origin (Switch) - An Awesomely Accessible And Amiable Action RPG
Eesey peasy
Nihon Falcom's Ys (pronounced "eese") been around since the days of the PC-8800, but only now are we seeing this formative tale in the enormously popular saga. Well, technically, a lot of people already saw it in 2006 when it originally released, or 2012 when it was initially localised. Thankfully, now it's on the Switch we can see that...
Class Act
Nihon Falcom’s long-running The Legend of Heroes series finally hits Nintendo Switch in this third entry in the epic Trails of Cold Steel story arc, a direct sequel to Trails of Cold Steel II that takes place less than two years after the Erebonian Civil War portrayed in both that game and its epic predecessor. This is an enormous,...
Latest Nihon Falcom Articles
News Trails Through Daybreak II Release Date Adds To A Crowded February 2025
About Spriggan time
Remember when we had to wait years for news of a localised Trails game? Those days are almost behind us, as The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II will be launching on Switch on 14th February 2025. Wow, February is getting pretty packed already, isn't it? Plus, that's just eight months after the previous game in the...
News Ys X: Nordics Scores A Demo Ahead Of Its Switch Release Next Week
Try before you buy
Ahead of the release of Ys X: Nordics next week, NIS America has announced a demo for the Switch eShop and it's out today. This will be followed by the full game release next week on 25th October 2024. In this demo, you'll be able to experience the fast-paced fighting action, "powerful offense and defense", elemental attacks with...
News Trails In The Sky Dev Apparently 'Surprised' By Recent Nintendo Direct Reveal
Nihon Falcom's president says he didn't know about it
Nintendo's Direct broadcasts come with all sorts of exciting news, and during the latest 'Partner Showcase' in August, developer Nihon Falcom even got a surprise. According to the developer's president Toshiro Kondo, he wasn't actually aware Nintendo would reveal Trails in the Sky the 1st during...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails In The Sky Remake Is Real, And It Looks Amazing
Grab your harmonica
Update [Wed 28th Aug, 2024 12:55 BST]: Falcom has now shared a trailer which features new footage, which you can watch above. It's also released an official website, which is pretty darn swish if we do say so. Gematsu has reached out to Falcom on the publishing situation, who told the outlet: “At this time, the western...
Preview In Ys X: Nordics, Adol And Boats Prove To Be A Match Made In Heaven
Sail the high Ys
If you've played an Ys game before, you know that our red-haired hero Adol Christin is pretty partial to a boat. He's also partial to a shipwreck or three. Adol's very first adventure in Ys I starts off with his boat being destroyed by a storm; Ark of Napishtim opens with Adol washed up on the beach; and in Lacrimosa of Dana, his...
News Trails Series Main Story "About 80-90%" Complete, According To Nihon Falcom
"You won't see a 30th or 40th anniversary"
Certain series never stop, but it seems the Trails games (which are now 20 years old) are getting to the point of completion. Speaking to GameSpot recently, the Nihon Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo (who is also one of the key devs behind Trails) mentioned how the main story is now "about 80-90% complete"...
News Ys Memoire: The Oath In Felghana Switch Localisation Announced, Launching Early 2025
The remastered RPG classic returns
Update [Wed 3rd Jul, 2024 01:35 BST]: Marvelous Europe and XSEED made it official today - announcing the "remastered classic" Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana will be coming to the Nintendo Switch in "early 2025". A physical edition will be available for $59.99 in select locations, and comes with a postcard set,...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II English Logo Spotted
A local release could be on the way...
Ahead of the arrival of The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak next month on the Switch, it seems an English localisation of the sequel is also on the way. Although a local announcement for The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II was already possibly being teased ahead of this year's Anime...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak Demo Now Available On Switch eShop
Here's a new trailer to go with it
In case you missed the initial announcement, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak has a new demo, and it can now be downloaded on the Switch eShop. As we previously mentioned, the demo for this turn-based RPG will allow you to play through the game's prologue and you can even carry across your save date...
Feature Is 'Trails Through Daybreak' The Fresh Beginning The Trails Series Needs?
I'm a Daybreaker
We're always a little bit wary whenever someone says that the latest game in Falcom's Trails series is "a great place to start". We know we've said in the past — as we did with Trails from Zero — but it's a statement we always put a lot of consideration into. This statement holds a lot of weight in this franchise, both among...
News Falcom Action RPG 'Tokyo Xanadu eX+' Is Coming To Switch
Coming in June
Aksys Games is bringing Falcom's action RPG Tokyo Xanadu eX+ to Switch in June 2024. The publisher announced this during today's All Aksys event, which was streamed on Twitch. Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is an enhanced version of the PS Vita RPG Tokyo Xanadu, which was released back in 2015. Taking place in an alternate reality of Tokyo, which...
Guide Best Trails / Kiseki Games On Nintendo Switch
Before the day breaks
Updated with Trails through Daybreak. Remember, this list is dynamic and subject to real-time change according to each entry's User Rating in our database. If you haven't rated one, click the star in each entry's banner to score the game out of 10 and influence the ranking. Enjoy! The Trails / Kiseki series might be one of...
News Kuro no Kiseki Coming West As 'Trails Through Daybreak', Out 2024 On Switch
We're off to Calvard
NIS America has finally confirmed that the West will be getting the 11th game in the Trails / Kiseki series next year — The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak. The announcement was made during today's Falcom-themed Livestream over on NIS America's Twitch channel. The game is known as Kuro no Kiseki in Japanese and will...
Random Action RPG Popful Mail Was Planned To Be Remade As 'Sister Sonic' On Mega CD
New details suggest US release was planned after Japanese backlash
You would be forgiven for thinking that Nihon Falcom's action RPG Popful Mail was a series. In fact, the game underwent so many reimaginings following its release on the PC-8801 in 1991 that you might find a drastically different experience playing it on one console compared to...
News The Legend Of Nayuta: Boundless Trails Is An Action RPG Spin-Off Of Falcom's 'Trails' Series
And it's coming this fall
NIS America has given us a firmer release window for the upcoming action RPG spin-off, The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails. The upcoming game will be launching this fall, which means this will be the third game in the Trails series to be localised this year following Trails to Azure in March and Trails into Reverie in...
News Meet Huge Cast Of New And Returning Heroes In Latest 'Trails Into Reverie' Trailer
The trails continue
The tenth (yes, tenth) entry in Nihon Falcom's huge Trails series, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie, launches this summer, and publisher NIS America is gearing up for a mammoth entry with a brand new trailer, showcasing all of the new and returning characters that will be banding together for this new entry. Before we...
News Ys Developer Wants To Release Two More "Refined" Games On Switch
Following Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana
It's been a busy week for Falcom, but the legendary Japanese developer has even more news to share for its 2023 plans. In an interview with Famitsu (translated by Ryoktuya2089 via Gematsu), Falcom President Toshihiro Kondo said that the company wants to release three "refined" titles in total, following the...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie Confirmed For Next Summer, Limited Edition Revealed
2023 is the year of Trails
Just days after we got an official release date for The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure, NIS America has locked in a release date for the 10th game in the Trails/Kiseki series. Yes, you read that right — 10th. The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie will be launching in Summer 2023 on Switch (and all other consoles)...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails To Azure Releases Next March On Switch
Getting over the barrier again
NIS America has announced that The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure will be released on 14th March 2023 in North America, and 17th March 2023 in Europe on Switch! There's also a brand new story trailer to dive into and get you ready for an explosive finale next spring. Kiseki/Trails fans don't have to wait too long...
News New Trails From Zero Trailer Shows Tweaks To Series' Signature Combat
Combo up!
NIS America is finally bringing the Kiseki series' Crossbell games to the West later this year. The first of this duology — The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero — gets over the barrier on 27th September in North America (and 30th September in Europe), and in anticipation, the publisher has shared a closer look at the game's combat...
News Falcom Shares Concept Art For Next Ys Game, Partially Inspired By Soulslikes
Prepare to sail
Nihon Falcom's longest-running series, Ys, celebrated its 35th anniversary yesterday, and fans of red-headed adventurer Adol are eagerly awaiting his next big journey — probably with a shipwreck or two in his wake. And in this week's issue of Famitsu, Falcom president Toshiro Kondo has shared some pretty gorgeous-looking key art...
News Ys And Trails Developer Plans To Release More Retro Titles On Switch
Update: Other Trails ports are being looked at
Update [Thu 19th May, 2022 10:00 BST] RPG Site has fully translated the Switch port questions from the Famitsu interview from yesterday. Kondo's answers clearly highlight that the company not only want to bring retro titles to the system, but also future titles. The interview focused on the upcoming The...
News Meet The Special Support Section In 'The Legend Of Heroes: Trails From Zero' Trailer
Seize the truth with the SSS
NISA Europe has released a brand new trailer for the upcoming The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero which introduces us to the Special Support Section — the main cast in the fourth game in the Kiseki/Trails series. Originally released in Japan on the PlayStation Portable in 2010, this upcoming Switch port marks the...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails From Zero Launches In The West This September
Over the barrier, finally
The Legend of Heroes series has had a big Crossbell-shaped gap in the West for ages. Last year, we finally got confirmation that we would be receiving both games in the fan-titled Crossbell duology, along with two other entries in this gargantuan series. Now, we know exactly when we'll be able to join the Special Support...
Pre-orders for Europe start next week
Last year, as part of its 40th-anniversary celebrations, Nihon Falcom announced it would localise another four games from the Legend of Heroes RPG series for Nintendo Switch. One of these was The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero, which is due to arrive in Fall 2022. Ahead of its release, the NISA store has...
News Trails Through Daybreak II Release Date Adds To A Crowded February 2025
About Spriggan time
Remember when we had to wait years for news of a localised Trails game? Those days are almost behind us, as The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II will be launching on Switch on 14th February 2025. Wow, February is getting pretty packed already, isn't it? Plus, that's just eight months after the previous game in the...
News Ys X: Nordics Scores A Demo Ahead Of Its Switch Release Next Week
Try before you buy
Ahead of the release of Ys X: Nordics next week, NIS America has announced a demo for the Switch eShop and it's out today. This will be followed by the full game release next week on 25th October 2024. In this demo, you'll be able to experience the fast-paced fighting action, "powerful offense and defense", elemental attacks with...
News Trails In The Sky Dev Apparently 'Surprised' By Recent Nintendo Direct Reveal
Nihon Falcom's president says he didn't know about it
Nintendo's Direct broadcasts come with all sorts of exciting news, and during the latest 'Partner Showcase' in August, developer Nihon Falcom even got a surprise. According to the developer's president Toshiro Kondo, he wasn't actually aware Nintendo would reveal Trails in the Sky the 1st during...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails In The Sky Remake Is Real, And It Looks Amazing
Grab your harmonica
Update [Wed 28th Aug, 2024 12:55 BST]: Falcom has now shared a trailer which features new footage, which you can watch above. It's also released an official website, which is pretty darn swish if we do say so. Gematsu has reached out to Falcom on the publishing situation, who told the outlet: “At this time, the western...
Preview In Ys X: Nordics, Adol And Boats Prove To Be A Match Made In Heaven
Sail the high Ys
If you've played an Ys game before, you know that our red-haired hero Adol Christin is pretty partial to a boat. He's also partial to a shipwreck or three. Adol's very first adventure in Ys I starts off with his boat being destroyed by a storm; Ark of Napishtim opens with Adol washed up on the beach; and in Lacrimosa of Dana, his...
News Trails Series Main Story "About 80-90%" Complete, According To Nihon Falcom
"You won't see a 30th or 40th anniversary"
Certain series never stop, but it seems the Trails games (which are now 20 years old) are getting to the point of completion. Speaking to GameSpot recently, the Nihon Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo (who is also one of the key devs behind Trails) mentioned how the main story is now "about 80-90% complete"...
News Ys Memoire: The Oath In Felghana Switch Localisation Announced, Launching Early 2025
The remastered RPG classic returns
Update [Wed 3rd Jul, 2024 01:35 BST]: Marvelous Europe and XSEED made it official today - announcing the "remastered classic" Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana will be coming to the Nintendo Switch in "early 2025". A physical edition will be available for $59.99 in select locations, and comes with a postcard set,...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II English Logo Spotted
A local release could be on the way...
Ahead of the arrival of The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak next month on the Switch, it seems an English localisation of the sequel is also on the way. Although a local announcement for The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II was already possibly being teased ahead of this year's Anime...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak Demo Now Available On Switch eShop
Here's a new trailer to go with it
In case you missed the initial announcement, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak has a new demo, and it can now be downloaded on the Switch eShop. As we previously mentioned, the demo for this turn-based RPG will allow you to play through the game's prologue and you can even carry across your save date...
Feature Is 'Trails Through Daybreak' The Fresh Beginning The Trails Series Needs?
I'm a Daybreaker
We're always a little bit wary whenever someone says that the latest game in Falcom's Trails series is "a great place to start". We know we've said in the past — as we did with Trails from Zero — but it's a statement we always put a lot of consideration into. This statement holds a lot of weight in this franchise, both among...
News Falcom Action RPG 'Tokyo Xanadu eX+' Is Coming To Switch
Coming in June
Aksys Games is bringing Falcom's action RPG Tokyo Xanadu eX+ to Switch in June 2024. The publisher announced this during today's All Aksys event, which was streamed on Twitch. Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is an enhanced version of the PS Vita RPG Tokyo Xanadu, which was released back in 2015. Taking place in an alternate reality of Tokyo, which...
Guide Best Trails / Kiseki Games On Nintendo Switch
Before the day breaks
Updated with Trails through Daybreak. Remember, this list is dynamic and subject to real-time change according to each entry's User Rating in our database. If you haven't rated one, click the star in each entry's banner to score the game out of 10 and influence the ranking. Enjoy! The Trails / Kiseki series might be one of...
News Kuro no Kiseki Coming West As 'Trails Through Daybreak', Out 2024 On Switch
We're off to Calvard
NIS America has finally confirmed that the West will be getting the 11th game in the Trails / Kiseki series next year — The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak. The announcement was made during today's Falcom-themed Livestream over on NIS America's Twitch channel. The game is known as Kuro no Kiseki in Japanese and will...
Random Action RPG Popful Mail Was Planned To Be Remade As 'Sister Sonic' On Mega CD
New details suggest US release was planned after Japanese backlash
You would be forgiven for thinking that Nihon Falcom's action RPG Popful Mail was a series. In fact, the game underwent so many reimaginings following its release on the PC-8801 in 1991 that you might find a drastically different experience playing it on one console compared to...
News The Legend Of Nayuta: Boundless Trails Is An Action RPG Spin-Off Of Falcom's 'Trails' Series
And it's coming this fall
NIS America has given us a firmer release window for the upcoming action RPG spin-off, The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails. The upcoming game will be launching this fall, which means this will be the third game in the Trails series to be localised this year following Trails to Azure in March and Trails into Reverie in...
News Meet Huge Cast Of New And Returning Heroes In Latest 'Trails Into Reverie' Trailer
The trails continue
The tenth (yes, tenth) entry in Nihon Falcom's huge Trails series, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie, launches this summer, and publisher NIS America is gearing up for a mammoth entry with a brand new trailer, showcasing all of the new and returning characters that will be banding together for this new entry. Before we...
News Ys Developer Wants To Release Two More "Refined" Games On Switch
Following Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana
It's been a busy week for Falcom, but the legendary Japanese developer has even more news to share for its 2023 plans. In an interview with Famitsu (translated by Ryoktuya2089 via Gematsu), Falcom President Toshihiro Kondo said that the company wants to release three "refined" titles in total, following the...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie Confirmed For Next Summer, Limited Edition Revealed
2023 is the year of Trails
Just days after we got an official release date for The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure, NIS America has locked in a release date for the 10th game in the Trails/Kiseki series. Yes, you read that right — 10th. The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie will be launching in Summer 2023 on Switch (and all other consoles)...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails To Azure Releases Next March On Switch
Getting over the barrier again
NIS America has announced that The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure will be released on 14th March 2023 in North America, and 17th March 2023 in Europe on Switch! There's also a brand new story trailer to dive into and get you ready for an explosive finale next spring. Kiseki/Trails fans don't have to wait too long...
News New Trails From Zero Trailer Shows Tweaks To Series' Signature Combat
Combo up!
NIS America is finally bringing the Kiseki series' Crossbell games to the West later this year. The first of this duology — The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero — gets over the barrier on 27th September in North America (and 30th September in Europe), and in anticipation, the publisher has shared a closer look at the game's combat...
News Falcom Shares Concept Art For Next Ys Game, Partially Inspired By Soulslikes
Prepare to sail
Nihon Falcom's longest-running series, Ys, celebrated its 35th anniversary yesterday, and fans of red-headed adventurer Adol are eagerly awaiting his next big journey — probably with a shipwreck or two in his wake. And in this week's issue of Famitsu, Falcom president Toshiro Kondo has shared some pretty gorgeous-looking key art...
News Ys And Trails Developer Plans To Release More Retro Titles On Switch
Update: Other Trails ports are being looked at
Update [Thu 19th May, 2022 10:00 BST] RPG Site has fully translated the Switch port questions from the Famitsu interview from yesterday. Kondo's answers clearly highlight that the company not only want to bring retro titles to the system, but also future titles. The interview focused on the upcoming The...
News Meet The Special Support Section In 'The Legend Of Heroes: Trails From Zero' Trailer
Seize the truth with the SSS
NISA Europe has released a brand new trailer for the upcoming The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero which introduces us to the Special Support Section — the main cast in the fourth game in the Kiseki/Trails series. Originally released in Japan on the PlayStation Portable in 2010, this upcoming Switch port marks the...
News The Legend Of Heroes: Trails From Zero Launches In The West This September
Over the barrier, finally
The Legend of Heroes series has had a big Crossbell-shaped gap in the West for ages. Last year, we finally got confirmation that we would be receiving both games in the fan-titled Crossbell duology, along with two other entries in this gargantuan series. Now, we know exactly when we'll be able to join the Special Support...
Pre-orders for Europe start next week
Last year, as part of its 40th-anniversary celebrations, Nihon Falcom announced it would localise another four games from the Legend of Heroes RPG series for Nintendo Switch. One of these was The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero, which is due to arrive in Fall 2022. Ahead of its release, the NISA store has...