Every Game in The Legend of Heroes Series in Chronological Order, and Tips on Where to Start

Like Nihon Falcom's other prolific and beloved JRPG franchise Ys, The Legend of Heroes series is a long-running and much-loved series of games spanning more than 30 years of history across multiple console generations. Though the original handful of games in the series were offshoots of the popular Dragon Slayer games, the franchise would eventually find its footing as the Trails series of games. The Trails games all take place in the continent of Zemuria, and each sub-series within the franchise focuses on a different part of the world, homing in on the area's struggles as it relates to the main powers at play in the continent. One of the cornerstones of the Trails series is its vast, interconnected narrative, which makes the prospect of breaking into The Legend of Heroes series a bit tricky.

While players are, of course, free to start with any game in the franchise that looks appealing, the sheer number of entries and the fact that they feature consistent characters and plotlines means that jumping into one particular entry may result in events from past games being spoiled, or not having the context necessary for events to have the same impact they might have on longtime players. Notably, Nihon Falcom has been consistently bringing more and more entries in the series to the West thanks to its rising star in North America, and this year will see the release of not one, but two new games in the franchise.

To celebrate the upcoming release of Trails Through Daybreak II, and the long-awaited remake of the first Trails game set to arrive later this year, we've compiled a chronology of the Legend of Heroes series, as well as some tips on where players might want to break into the franchise.

Updated June 19, 2025:

Since originally publishing this list, we've gotten more info on the upcoming releases of both Trails Beyond the Horizon and Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, prompting us to go back and add details for both. There's also now available review score information for Trails Through Daybreak II, which we've since added.

• Release Date — December 10, 1989
• Release Platforms — NEC PC-8801
• Review Aggregate Score — N/A
• Localization — December 1992 (TurboGrafx-CD)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Nintendo Switch

The first game in what we now know as The Legend of Heroes series would actually be the 6th game in Falcom's Dragon Slayer franchise. The Dragon Slayer games were a series of loosely connected RPGs that shared similar mechanics despite not always sticking to the same genre conventions or featuring any semblance of a connected world or plot. While other Dragon Slayer games would experiment with non-linear exploration and action-oriented real-time combat (notably, the NES cult classic Faxanadu, one of the few Dragon Slayer games to receive a localization), The Legend of Heroes ended up being a turn-based RPG similar to contemporaries Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy.

• Release Date — March 19, 1992
• Release Platforms — NEC PC-8801, NEC PC-9801, PC Engine CD
• Review Aggregate Score — N/A
• Localization — N/A
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Nintendo Switch

The sequel to Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes would arrive just a few years after the original, though you'd be mistaken for assuming they were the same game. Unlike the first Legend of Heroes game, which did receive a localization to the TurboGrafx CD, Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II would remain exclusive to Japan until just recently becoming available on the Nintendo Switch as part of the EGGCONSOLE series on the Nintendo eShop. Like its predecessor, Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II is a turn-based RPG, and it would eventually receive Japan-only ports to the PlayStation and Saturn.

• Release Date — March 18, 1994
• Release Platforms — NEC PC-9801
• Review Aggregate Score — 65% (Mixed or Average)
• Localization — 2006, PSP
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Emulation

The release of The Legend of Heroes III is where things begin to get somewhat confusing for the series. As the first game in the Gagharv Trilogy — and the first Legend of Heroes game to drop the Dragon Slayer prefix — Legend of Heroes III is a hugely important title in the series, but its delayed localization to the West (and the lack of proper localization of the series' second game) led to it being mislabeled as The Legend of Heroes II despite being the third game in the franchise. The 2006 PSP release stands as the only English localization of the game, and it shares a similar art style with the other two games in the Gagharv Trilogy, A Tear of Vermillion and Song of the Ocean.

• Release Date — May 24, 1996
• Release Platforms — NEC PC-9801
• Review Aggregate Score — 68% (Mixed or Average)
• Localization — 2005, PSP
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Emulation

As if the cross-cultural naming conventions weren't confusing enough, the 4th Legend of Heroes game, A Tear of Vermillion, would actually end up releasing in North America before The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch, despite being that game's direct sequel. Further, A Tear of Vermillion is a prequel to Moonlight Witch, taking place roughly 60 years before the events of that game, resulting in many of its plot reveals having little impact on those who hadn't played The Legend of Heroes II. While there are fans who appreciate Tear of Vermillion's story and gameplay, it features a notoriously lackluster translation and localization.

• Release Date — December 9, 1999
• Release Platforms — PC
• Review Aggregate Score — 58% (Mixed or Average)
• Localization — 2006, PSP
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Emulation

The 5th and final game in the baseline Legend of Heroes series, The Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean is the last part of the Gagharv Trilogy and continues the story of both A Tear of Vermillion as yet another prequel to Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch. Originally released on PC in 1999, the title would eventually get localized to the West on the PSP in 2006. Song of the Ocean is noteworthy for featuring some improvements to the Legend of Heroes' battle system but is otherwise a fairly middling game in terms of its critical and fan reception.

• Release Date — June 24, 2004
• Release Platforms — PC, PSP
• Localization — 2011, PSP
• Review Aggregate Score — 84% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 93% (Very Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC

In 2004, the Legend of Heroes series would get a major shot in the arm and a new lease on life thanks to the beginning of the Trails games, which marked the beginning of the Legend of Heroes series' modern era. The first Trails game, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, lays the foundation for the rest of the franchise by introducing players to the fantasy realm of Zemuria, a fictional continent in the midst of a technological revolution, giving way to a steampunk aesthetic and world where magic and science coexist side-by-side. Trails in the Sky introduces us to Estelle and Joshua, adoptive siblings who have chosen to follow in their father's footsteps and join the Bracer's Guild, an independent peace-keeping force.

• Release Date — March 9, 2006
• Release Platforms — PC, PSP
• Localization — 2015, PC
• Review Aggregate Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 97% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC

The second game in the trilogy of Trails titles centered on the Liberl region of Zemuria, Trails in the Sky SC (or, Second Chapter) picks up almost immediately after the events of Trails in the Sky, delivering another 70-100 hours of the series' trademark role-playing goodness. Like its predecessor, gameplay in Trails in the Sky SC is split between more character-driven dialogue and story moments and the game's unique take on turn-based battling, which incorporates some aspects of tactics RPGs such as a movement grid and opportunities to use strategy in disrupting turn order.

• Release Date — June 28, 2007
• Release Platforms — PC, PSP
• Localization — 2017, PC
• Review Aggregate Score — 83% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 97% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC

The third and final game in the Liberl trilogy switches focus from Estelle and Joshua to fan-favorite character Kevin as he investigates the alternate dimension of Phantasma. Unlike the previous two Trails in the Sky games, Trails in the Sky the 3rd is more of a traditional dungeon-crawler, removing many of the exploration elements from its predecessors. In its place, though, Trails in the Sky the 3rd features some of the more poignant character moments in the series that players can seek out by opening Star Doors, which give insight into different characters and their backstories, struggles, and motivations.

• Release Date — September 30, 2010
• Release Platforms — PC, PSP
• Localization — 2022
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Steam User Score — 97% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch

Following the conclusion of the Liberl trilogy, the Trails series picks back up with the beginning of the Crosbell arc with Trails from Zero. Named for the small yet densely packed city in which the entirety of the games take place, the Crosbell arc puts players in the role of Lloyd Bannings and the Special Support Section, an elite group of officers within the Crosbell Police. Trails from Zero is one of the more beloved entries in the series for the way that it returns to Trails' conventions following the departure that was Trails in the Sky the 3rd, and its story is commonly cited as one of the best in the franchise, further elaborating on the tensions between the two major Zemurian superpowers — the Erebonian Empire and the Calvard Republic.

• Release Date — September 29, 2011
• Release Platforms — PSP
• Localization — March 2023
• Review Aggregate Score — 86% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 98% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch

Released just a year after Trails from Zero, Trails to Azure concludes the Crosbell arc and sees players once again stepping into the shoes of Lloyd Bannings and the Crosbell Police's Special Support Section. The story picks up just weeks after the events of Trails from Zero and features events that tie directly into the next major arc of the Legend of Heroes franchise thanks to Crosbell's annexation by the Erebonian Empire. Thanks to the game's lengthy script, the title wouldn't receive a North American localization until 12 years after its original release, finally arriving in the West in 2023.

• Release Date — July 26, 2012
• Release Platforms — PSP
• Localization — September 2023
• Review Aggregate Score — 75% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 93% (Very Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch

Before beginning the Legend of Heroes series' next major arc, Nihon Falcom would release one of the franchise's rare spin-offs with the charming The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails. Unlike the mainline Trails games, which are traditional turn-based RPGs, Legend of Nayuta is an action RPG more similar to Nihon Falcom's own Ys series. Further, while the rest of the mainline Trails games feature an interconnected narrative rife with political intrigue and complex character growth, Legend of Nayuta is a separate story with no connection to the main narrative that delves deeper into more fantastical elements.

• Release Date — September 26, 2011
• Release Platforms — PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita
• Localization — 2015
• Review Aggregate Score — 77% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 94% (Very Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC, PlayStation 4

Despite it following many of the established Trails series conventions, Trails of Cold Steel represents a major leap forward for the Legend of Heroes franchise thanks to its shift to full 3D environments and character models. While this art style might not have aged as gracefully as later games in the series, it was still impressive for its time, and Trails of Cold Steel has the distinction of being many Western players' first foray into the larger Trails/Legend of Heroes series. Trails of Cold Steel is also the beginning of one of the more pivotal arcs in the franchise's long narrative, the Erebonian Empire arc, which centers on Class VII at the Thors Military Academy and hero Rean Schwarzer.

• Release Date — September 25, 2014
• Release Platforms — PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita
• Localization — 2016
• Review Aggregate Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 93% (Very Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC, PlayStation 4

While the first game in the Trails of Cold Steel sub-series borrowed many elements from Atlus' Persona games (such as the calendar system governing the core loop and mixing of school-based social simulation with traditional turn-based JRPG gameplay), Trails of Cold Steel II abandons those elements in favor of a more traditional RPG experience built around exploring the world, visiting towns and dungeons, and fighting battles to gain experience and progress the main party. The story picks up just a month after the events of Trails of Cold Steel, with players once again controlling Rean Schwarzer as he seeks to discover the aims of the mysterious Ouroboros organization.

• Release Date — September 28, 2017
• Review Aggregate Score — 82% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 92% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

A pivotal entry both in the Erebonian Empire arc and within the Trails series as a whole, Trails of Cold Steel III is incredibly important in the franchise's growth in popularity. As one of the first games in the series to receive a Western release in close proximity to its original Japanese launch, Trails of Cold Steel III would end up being many North American players' first experience with the series. Despite it being the third part of just one arc in an, at the time, 8-game narrative, Trails of Cold Steel III's excellent story and writing immediately drew players in, begging them to discover more about the continent of Zemuria. It also helps that Trails of Cold Steel III features a massive visual upgrade over its two predecessors.

• Release Date — September 27, 2018
• Review Aggregate Score — 81% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 92% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Trails of Cold Steel IV picks up just weeks after the events of its predecessor as Zemuria is on the brink of war. The Erebonian Empire is now under the control of Chancellor Giliath Osborne, who wishes to throw the nation into conflict with the Calvard Republic. At the same time, Class VII is formulating a plan to rescue Rean, which will see them join forces with other heroes from the different Trails arcs. As the penultimate game in the Eerbonian Empire arc, Trails of Cold Steel IV sets the stage for its follow-up, 2020's Trails into Reverie.

• Release Date — August 27, 2020
• Review Aggregate Score — 81% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 95% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Despite it not having Cold Steel in its naming, Trails into Reverie is a conclusion to the Erebonian Empire arc. Additionally, the title serves as the third and concluding chapter of the Crosbell arc. Trails into Reverie was a unique entry in the series at the time of its release thanks to its three-way split narrative. In addition to players getting to switch between Lloyd and Rean's stories (to see the conclusion of the Crosbell and Erebonian Empire arcs, respectively), Trails into Reverie introduces the new mysterious masked character "C". Notably, Trails into Reverie is the last game to use Nihon Falcom's Phyre Engine.

• Release Date — September 30, 2021
• Review Aggregate Score — 84% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 92% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Following several entries focusing on the Erebonian Empire, Liberl, and Crosbell, players finally get to dive into the Calvard arc of the Trails series with Trails Through Daybreak. The game puts players in the shoes of Van Arkide, a sort of bounty hunter hired by the daughter of Calvard's president to seek out and find 8 lost magical artifacts. While Trails Through Daybreak continues the general narrative of the series, its structure is a distinct departure. Rather than flow like a traditional JRPG, Trails Through Daybreak utilizes Chapters to separate the game's locales, characters, and quests.

• Release Date — September 29, 2022
• Review Aggregate Score — 75% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 91% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

The sequel to Trails Through Daybreak, Trails Through Daybreak II picks up shortly after the events of its predecessor and puts players back in control of bounty hunter/private detective Van Arkide. Originally released in Japan in 2022, Trails Through Daybreak II is set to launch in North America in just a few weeks on February 14, 2025. Though it continues many of the mechanics of its predecessor, Trails Through Daybreak II introduces some new combat elements that mix real-time attacks on the field and turn-based actions in standard battles.

• Release Date — September 25, 2025
• Review Aggregate Score — N/A
• Steam User Score — N/A
• Platforms — PC, Nintendo Switch

The upcoming remake of the first game in the Trails series, Trails in the Sky, now has an official release date of September 25, as well as plenty of new gameplay screenshots showing off its impressive visual uplift over the original. While we don't know much else about the title at this point, it's set to arrive first on PC and the Nintendo Switch, with a PlayStation release likely not far behind.

• Release Date — September 26, 2024
• Review Aggregate Score — N/A
• Steam User Score — N/A
• Platforms — PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

The most recent game in the Trails series just recently released in Japan late last year, meaning its localization is likely still a ways out. At this time, Nihon Falcom has yet to officially announce that the game will be coming to the West, but the efforts to localize and bring the whole Trails series stateside almost guarantees that North America will get an English localization of Kai no Kiseki, especially because it serves as the next pivotal chapter in the Calvard arc.

UPDATE JUNE 19, 2025:

We now have confirmation that Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki will indeed be releasing in the West as The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon sometime in January 2026. This latest entry should theoretically see the series setting up the final grand arc of its sweeping, interconnected narrative not long after the release of the remake of the first game in the series.