Summary

  • A remake of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky titled Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter will be released for PS5, Switch, and PC via Steam in Fall 2025.
  • The game was initially released in 2004.
  • The series' founder, Masayuki Kato, passed away but oversaw the remake until his death.

Nihon Falcom has unveiled a new trailer for The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky remake, also revealing a release window of Fall 2025. Initially announced in a sizzle reel during a Nintendo Direct, the remake now has its own dedicated trailer. At first, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky remake would be titled The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 1st, but it has since been renamed to Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter.

Trails is one of the longest-running JRPG franchises out there, but it has flown under the radar for many gamers. The first title, Trails in the Sky, launched in 2004 and received two direct sequels. Since then, the series has continued with the same overarching storyline while introducing new regions, characters, and plots with each saga. The most recent title, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak 2, launched in Japan in 2022 but won't receive a global release until 2025. This long gap between Japanese and international launches seems to be coming to an end.

Xbox Players Shouldn't Be Left Out of Experiencing Two Acclaimed JRPG Franchises, The Legend of Heroes and Ys
Xbox Players Shouldn't Be Left Out of Experiencing Two Acclaimed JRPG Franchises

Xbox players should no longer have to miss out on experiencing two widely beloved JRPG franchises that have consistently skipped the platform.

6
By 

A new trailer has revealed that the Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter remake will launch simultaneously worldwide for PS5, Switch, and PC via Steam next fall, joining the packed lineup of upcoming 2025 games. During the August Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, the remake was initially announced only for the Switch, but fans had speculated it would arrive on more platforms. Another first for the series is that Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is being published in the West by GungHo Entertainment, which may explain the simultaneous release.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter Release Window

  • Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter will launch for PS5, Switch, and PC via Steam in Fall 2025.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter tells the story of Estelle, often regarded by many fans as one of the best main characters in JRPG history, as she embarks on a journey across the Kingdom of Liberl with her brother Joshua to find their missing father. The remake has been completely rebuilt in 3D and features revamped gameplay, including two battle modes. One is called Field Action, which incorporates real-time combat, and the other is dubbed Command Battle, featuring classic turn-based combat.

This new Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter trailer comes at a bittersweet time for fans of Nihon Falcom. The passing of Falcom's founder, Masayuki Kato, was announced this month, with the creator leaving behind a legacy as one of the pivotal creators in JRPG history. The company has already announced plans for restructuring following Kato's passing, as he not only founded Falcom but also continued to act as a consultant for the company's operations. While Kato won't see the release of Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, he likely oversaw portions of the highly anticipated remake's development.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Tag Page Cover Art
Display card tags widget
JRPG
Display card system widget
Systems
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget
Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 89%
Display card main info widget
Released
June 24, 2004
ESRB
T For Teen Due To Animated Blood, Drug Reference, Fantasy Violence, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
Developer(s)
Nihon Falcom
Publisher(s)
Nihon Falcom, XSEED Games, Ghostlight
Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start
The Legend of Heroes- Trails in the Sky 2
Display card media widget end

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Modern society owes much to a mystical technology known as “orbal energy.” Fifty years ago, during what’s come to be known as the “Orbal Revolution,” the invention of this technology and the “orbments” developed from it led to a period of rapid human advancement, birthing innovations of all shapes and sizes -- not the least of which was the airliner, or “orbalship” industry. Although the positive impact of this revolution is obvious, every coin has a flipside; for every beneficial device developed with these new materials, so too were advanced weapons and other implements of war. Thus, the land became mired with turmoil, and remains in such a state even now.
Enter, the bracers: an organization established to serve as police and intermediaries alike, holding above all else the peace and safety of the lands under their jurisdiction. Whenever a citizen is in need of assistance, he or she may place a request at the local Bracer Guild -- and be it monster extermination, crime prevention or even peace talks among warring nations, the bracers will do whatever they can to resolve the matter cleanly and efficiently.
Some matters require a gentler touch than others, however. When an orbalship transporting a legendary "S-rank" bracer named Cassius Bright suddenly goes missing, said bracer's daughter, Estelle, and adoptive son, Joshua, must join forces in search of him across the entire Kingdom of Liberl.
And what they find along the way could change both of their lives forever...
Hailed as one of the largest, longest and most meticulously detailed turn-based JRPG series of all time, this first chapter in the ongoing Trails saga sets the stage for what's quickly become Ys developer Nihon Falcom's most popular and best-selling franchise in their entire 30+ year history. Introducing people, places, ideas, events and lore that rival in complexity those of even the most highly-regarded fantasy epics in literature, the care and attention given to each and every NPC, location and historical in-game event is what sets The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky apart from its contemporaries.
Come join Estelle, Joshua, Scherazard, Olivier and the rest of the cast as they uncover the secret underbelly of Liberl in their first 50+ hour masterpiece, and see what Japanese gamers have been raving about for over ten years.
Key Features:
The original version of the first chapter in this historical series, featuring strategic turn-based combat with unmatched customization.
Over 50 hours of gameplay on average, with countless side-quests, collectibles and secrets to encourage replay.
A vast world where every NPC has a name and personality, every town has its own unique politics and economic concerns, and no detail is ever trivial.
Support for a wide variety of fullscreen and widescreen resolutions, including true 1080p HD.
Fully adjustable controls supporting virtually any USB gamepad, as well as a standard keyboard and mouse setup.
Over two dozen unique Steam Achievements, Steam Cloud support and Steam Trading Cards featuring gorgeous anime-style art from the franchise's original artists.
Numerous updates previously seen only in the handheld version, including: Selectable difficulty level and new game+ features on subsequent playthroughs, Full voice-acting during combat, "Retry Offset" feature to lower the difficulty of battle with each attempt if desired.

Engine
Falcom
Franchise
Trails
Steam Deck Compatibility
Playable
Platform(s)
PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, PS Vita
Genre(s)
JRPG
How Long To Beat
40.5 Hours
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty