Trails series: where to start and play order

The Trails series is 13 main games long in English, and nearly all of them tell one continuous story across one continent. That's the appeal, and it's also why the first question everyone asks is where to start.

The short answer: start with Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, the 2025 remake of the first game, then play Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, which launches tomorrow, September 17, on PS5, Switch, Switch 2 and PC. If you'd rather not begin with a 20-year-old story, Trails through Daybreak is the other clean entry point. The rest of this guide covers the full Trails play order, which versions to play now, and how long each arc takes.

How the Trails series is structured

Nihon Falcom's Trails games (Kiseki in Japan) all take place on the continent of Zemuria, and they're grouped into arcs by country. Each arc has its own cast and its own main plot, but characters, villains and mysteries carry across all of them. The big antagonist organisation, Ouroboros, is introduced in the very first game and is still pulling strings in the latest one.

The arcs, in story order:

• Liberl (Trails in the Sky). Estelle Bright and Joshua train as bracers, a kind of civilian guard, in a small kingdom. Three games: Sky, Sky SC (now remade as 2nd Chapter) and Sky the 3rd.
• Crossbell (Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure). Lloyd Bannings and a new police unit in a city-state squeezed between two superpowers. Two games that overlap with the end of the Liberl story.
• Erebonia (Trails of Cold Steel I to IV). Rean Schwarzer and Class VII at a military academy in the empire. Four games, the longest arc.
• Reverie (Trails into Reverie). A three-route finale that ties off the Crossbell and Erebonia stories.
• Calvard (Trails through Daybreak, Daybreak II and Trails beyond the Horizon). Van Arkride, a fixer for hire in a modern-feeling republic. Beyond the Horizon (Kai no Kiseki in Japan) splits into three routes starring Van, Rean and Kevin Graham, pulling threads from every earlier arc together.

Trails play order: release vs recommended

Japanese release order and recommended order are the same. The difference is English: Crossbell's Zero and Azure were only officially translated in 2022 and 2023, years after Cold Steel, so many English-speaking fans played Erebonia first. Now that everything is out, play in story order.

A few notes on the order:

• Sky the 3rd is the odd one out. Set half a year after SC and starring Kevin Graham, it's more of an epilogue and a bridge than a third adventure, but it sets up a lot of what matters in Cold Steel and in Beyond the Horizon. It hasn't been remade yet, so for now it's the 2017 PC release.
• Crossbell before Cold Steel III. Cold Steel I and II can technically be played before Zero and Azure, but Cold Steel III assumes you know the Crossbell cast well. Playing Crossbell first is the cleanest way to avoid spoilers going both directions.
• Daybreak works after a gap. Calvard is set shortly after Reverie in a different country, with a new lead. Series veterans get more out of the cameos, but it doesn't lean on them the way Cold Steel does.

Should you play the Trails in the Sky remakes or the originals?

Play the remakes. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter rebuilt the first game in full 3D with a new combat system that lets you fight in real time on the field or switch into classic turn-based battles, plus voice acting in English and Japanese. The 2nd Chapter remake does the same for Sky SC, the second game, and picks up right where 1st Chapter ends.

The originals are still on Steam and still hold up if you're fine with a 2004-era PC game, but the remakes are the version the series now points new players to. 2nd Chapter is $59.99 on PS5 and Switch and $64.99 on Switch 2.

One warning: 1st Chapter ends on a cliffhanger, and 2nd Chapter is a direct continuation. Treat them as one story split in two, and have 2nd Chapter lined up before you hit the ending.

Where to start: do you need to play Trails in the Sky first?

Not strictly, but it's the best start by a wide margin. Every later arc is built on things introduced in Liberl, from Ouroboros to the Septian Church to characters who reappear years of in-game history later. Starting anywhere else means some of the biggest moments in later games will land as "who is this?" rather than a payoff.

There are three sensible ways in, depending on what you want:

1. Start from the beginning (best for most people). Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, then 2nd Chapter. Two modern remakes, a story that's complete across the pair, and a clear finish line before you decide whether to commit to the rest. If you love it, carry on down the table.
2. Start with Trails through Daybreak (best if you want a modern game). It opens the Calvard arc with a new cast, a new country and modern combat, and it's designed as a fresh start. You'll miss the weight of some cameos, and you'll want Daybreak II and Beyond the Horizon next.
3. Start with Trails from Zero (best for a shorter taste of the old style). The Crossbell pair is tighter and more focused than Cold Steel, and Zero does a good job explaining its world. It spoils a little of Sky, so it's the second-best choice for anyone who plans to play everything.

Skip Cold Steel as a starting point. Many players began there a decade ago, but III and IV assume you've played Sky and Crossbell.

How long does the Trails series take?

These are big RPGs, and the full run is several hundred hours, closer to a thousand if you do every side quest. Rough ranges for a normal playthrough with some side content:

• Liberl arc: 1st Chapter is roughly 40 to 50 hours. The original Sky SC was the longest of the three Sky games, and 2nd Chapter is expected to be longer than 1st Chapter. Sky the 3rd adds roughly 50 more.
• Crossbell arc: roughly 50 to 70 hours per game.
• Erebonia arc: Cold Steel I and II run roughly 60 to 80 hours each. III and IV are the longest in the series, often 100 hours or more each.
• Reverie: roughly 60 to 80 hours.
• Calvard arc: roughly 70 to 90 hours per game.

If that sounds like a lot, it is. Our feature on whether video games are too long makes the case that length matters less than whether the hours earn their place. If you're fitting it around work, our guide on how to find time to play games has practical ways to make a 60-hour RPG feel doable.

Tips for playing a series this long

• Play one arc at a time, then take a break. Arc endings are natural stopping points. Stopping between Liberl and Crossbell, or between Crossbell and Cold Steel, is how most people avoid burnout. How to play your backlog without burning out covers the same idea for any big list.
• Use easier difficulty without guilt. The stories are the draw.
• Keep notes between games. When there can be a year between arcs, a line or two about where each game left off saves a lot of wiki reading later. A game journal like Perthro lets you log each game as you finish it, rate it and jot down who's who before moving to the next one.

Trails series FAQ

Is Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter a sequel or a remake?

Both. It's a remake of Trails in the Sky SC (2006), which was the direct sequel to the first game. Play 1st Chapter first.

Is Trails a good series for someone new to JRPGs?

Yes, if you like character-driven stories and don't mind a slow build. The turn-based combat has a lot of depth but starts simple. If you're new to more tactical combat in general, our tactics RPG beginner's guide covers the grid-and-positioning ideas that also show up in Trails battles.