Random thoughts on trails beyond the horizon

So i’m just writing this to compile a bunch of my thoughts while they’re still fresh. It won’t be in any particular order and it’s probably be very messy, i don’t really expect anyone to read this though so I think it’s gonna be okay. Also full spoiler warning for the entire series ofc, i’ll be referencing stuff from pretty much all the games i think. With that out of the way, what is my initial impression of horizon: tbh i absolutely loved it. Way more than I was expecting I would. The first huge thing about it that stands out about it for me is that the story was actually coherent and fascinating to see come together. Older trails games like sky sc or azure had great stories ofc too but the overall plot of the cold steel arc has always felt really lackluster to me when viewed as a whole package. There was lots of individually interesting things in those games too ofc and the setting of erebonia sort of carried the arc for me but the plot just got so laughably convoluted by the time you get to the curse and everything in cs4 that the larger plot really just ended up feeling like shackles for the series. At the time of its release one of the things i loved so much about reverie as a result was that did basically didn’t bother with the larger plot much in comparison and felt more like a standalone game where you just get to have fun and do shenanigans with the characters. So in terms of actual plot, especially the big meta plot in the background horizon was a massive return to form imo and indeed elevated the series to heights it was never on before. Like, it’s actually insane that all the crazy stuff that happens and gets talked about in horizon doesn’t feel like they’re pulling stuff out of their ass, it was actually properly set up and foreshadowed.Laegjarn’s chest and the great reset explains everything about how the grandmaster was talking about things returning to primordial nothingness. Her talking about the end being delayed by the great twilight being averted at the end cs4 also now makes perfect sense. Obviously it’s still a silly sci-fantasy story but that’s not a bad thing, that’s what trails has always been about, but in this game for the first time in ages it really feels like the writers have a plan and have this all mapped out in their and aren’t just making it up as they go along. It has really reignited my passion for the whole series in that sense and given me hope. Okay, so much about the game’s place as a Trails game for now, how was it on its own terms? Very Trails i think, that is to say the first half is a total snooze fest for the first half with barely anything happening and then around the midpoint the plot really picks up and never stops until the end. It’s very similar to sky sc, azure or cs3 in that regard, i think that structure is pretty much a trails staple at this point so i don’t consider it a negative, just something one either likes or doesn’t. I do love the way all the paths simultaneously are working to uncover the mystery even when the game is slow, it kept it interesting consistently. There was also this constant sense of dread hanging over everything I felt, with all these huge gears turning and everyone from the society and the church being in crisis mode. That Rean and Kevin were brought in as side protagonists was absolutely the right choice imo, their role was small enough that it never distracted from Van and Anges still being the main focus but seeing them again (especially Kevin) was super great and it added much needed extra context to how everyone else in Zemuria was reacting to what’s happening. Without Kevin in particular we would lack that crucial inside into the septian church. Seeing Rean with better mental health was also so nice, his first bonding event with Altina where she asks him if he’s lonely and feeling left behind in particular nearly made me tear up. And getting to see Rufus play poker against Kevin while they’re sizing each other up, just pure gold. The bonding events in general where just so amazing again as always: Quatre’s dysphoria and Van being an ally, Kevin playing basketball with Swin and “cry for me” starts playing when they talk about Ries, Judith not being able to clean her room on her own, etc. etc. Both now enforcers were really fun I think. Simeon being very understated in stile is very necessary to bring some much needed contrast to the rest of the enforcers and Ulrika is just insane, the localizers absolutely outdid themselves writer to be sooo annoying with all the most modern slang. The scene at the end where Novartis learns he’s from cycle 19,998 and gets super happy and is somehow able to fully grasp the eternal recurrence plan as a result only to have the grandmaster came in and calm him down was also amazing. I swear to god her holding his shoulder and telling to to relax was by far the nicest i think i’ve ever seen anyone be to him, even Lianne never seemed to like him in the slightest, not that that’s surprising given his personality, but i thought it was a great tiny bit of characterization for the grandmaster. Also, while we’re on ouroboros, that part in anchorville where you chat with Harwood in the church and he then joins your party for a bit was just so peak. In general i’m a massive ouroboros simp so the fact that they just show up a lot is always a huge treat for me. What can I say, I love seemingly all powerful secret societies. Nina Fenly was one of the characters i was most excited for going into this game since i’ve actually really loved her since her bonding events in daybreak 1 where she talks about how empty she feels and how she’s scared that there’s no real “her” at all and that that’s the only reason she’s a good actress. Knowing everything about how she’s also the eschaton saint now I just empathize with her even more and think it’s super understandable how she’d develop a complex like that as a result. The finale of horizon was really great ofc and i just love how roy gramheart was literally just planning to nuke a sept-terrion and unironically thought that was gonna work. The twist that it would just defend itself and accelerate the great reset was super predictable, i mean these are aidios treasures ffs, no one in the series has ever been able to destroy one, ouroboros just takes them or they get scattered to the beyond or commit suicide. But the reveal about Rene being in league with Hamilton was really shocking and worked super well I think. I can’t wait for Elaine and van to beat him to a pulp in the sequel. Okay, i’ll leave it here for now.