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The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails shouldn’t be a Trails recreation. I do know the diehard Falcom fanbase is already effectively conscious of this and has been for some time, contemplating the sport is definitely greater than a decade outdated. However forward of its first official English-language launch, I’ve additionally seen loads of confusion amongst RPG Web site’s normal readership about what this recreation is and the place it suits into the Trails timeline (it would not).

So, what’s The Legend of Nayuta? Initially launched in Japan for PSP in 2012, as Nayuta no Kiseki, this recreation shouldn’t be very like a Trails recreation in any respect, frankly. It’s a lot, far more much like a few of Falcom’s different properties, particularly the Zwei! motion RPGs, with a contact of Gurumin and a touch of basic Ys for good measure. Even Zwei‘s eat-food-for-EXP system makes a return in Nayuta, though it is not the one method to earn EXP this time round.

So if The Legend of Nayuta caught your consideration due to the nominal and aesthetic similarity to the Trails collection, however you are not already acquainted with Zwei or Gurumin, I suppose Falcom’s complicated naming labored as meant on this case. To be clear, I respect NIS America’s tackle the English title given the circumstances, in addition to the trouble to convey this RPG to the West a few years after its authentic Japanese launch.

The Legend of Nayuta takes place on Remnant Isle, a spot the place unusual Star Fragments and different mysterious relics frequently fall from the sky. These fragments act as home windows to a magical Different World that the titular teenage Nayuta goals of discovering in the future. On such a fateful day, an enormous wreck falls from the sky like a meteor to the shores of Remnant Isle, and inside that wreck homes a foot-tall pink-haired fairy named Noi. And thus with this fateful encounter, the Legend of Nayuta begins to take form. 

Very similar to Zwei or Gurumin, The Legend of Nayuta is a stage-based affair, combining a light-weight motion RPG with some arcadey platforming and puzzle components. There’s some block-pushing, platforming-jumping, change turning, simply sufficient to maintain some selection as you are taking down foes in these roughly five-to-ten minute phases. You entry these phases from nodes on a world map, in a mode not too dissimilar from a number of Mario platformers. Additionally very like Zwei, The Legend of Nayuta is simple to get the grasp of in a matter of moments.

You are taking management of Nayuta as he strikes by means of these phases, taking over enemies with some easy sword-swinging assault combos and dodge maneuvers. The fairy Noi tags alongside, wielding a wide range of magic spells that can be utilized to assault foes from vary. These embody magic fireballs, shuriken, shockwaves, icicles, and the like. So Nayuta assaults at shut vary, whereas Noi assaults from afar.

Along with the essential goal of merely making it to the tip of every stage, every additionally homes a handful of further secrets and techniques to search out. These come within the type of three bonus crystals tucked away, often alongside facet paths hidden within the degree. There’s additionally an non-compulsory treasure chest or two to search out in every stage, which can maintain gear, cash, meals objects, and so forth. Every stage additionally has a bonus goal to undertake, which may vary from damaging foes in sure methods, beating a stage inside a time restrict, avoiding taking harm your self, or different non-compulsory duties of that nature.

After every stage, you’re given an arcade-style grade based mostly in your completion of the extent, together with in the event you discovered the three secret crystals, in the event you discovered the hidden treasure, and in the event you accomplished the stage’s Bonus Mission. These reward you with star-shaped stamps, which you’ll flip in for a wide range of upgrades to Nayuta’s arsenal. These embody expanded assault combos, enhanced dodge functionality, and even a couple of particular talents.

Nayuta has a really satisfying reward loop general, as any good RPG ought to. You at all times really feel like you’re getting stronger, increasing your moveset, and gaining higher fight & exploration functionality as you proceed by means of Nayuta’s fundamental story. No stage lingers too lengthy, no puzzle is overly obtuse, and any problem stays fairly manageable the entire manner by means of. In what’s successfully a follow-up from Zwei II, Nayuta is well probably the most strong Falcom recreation of this fashion.

In between phases, you possibly can discover the small Remnant Isle and chat with NPCs to tackle a handful of sidequests. There are about 25 in complete, which frequently reward Nayuta with cash, objects, collectibles, or typically some new fight talents. Generally these sidequests contain merely speaking to the suitable NPCs in the suitable order, or some easy item-finding across the island, however a handful would require you to revisit sure phases to hunt out a sure place or battle an non-compulsory encounter.

Along with sidequests, NPC dialogue adjustments often as effectively, often in between chapters, and it is this element that is really most much like what you may count on in a Trails recreation. Be sure to communicate with the townspeople frequently if you wish to hear all the pieces they should say.

The Legend of Nayuta shouldn’t be an extended RPG. You may full an preliminary playthrough, post-game included, in 20 hours or much less. It’s price noting {that a} New Sport + mode does add each new facet occasions and new degree variations, so completionists could need to play by means of the sport at the least twice.

Being a PSP recreation at coronary heart, Nayuta embodies a captivating and stylized aesthetic of barely deformed character fashions, which admittedly will be amusing when paired with the extremely detailed character portrait artwork. I prefer it, although. The presentation is sort of colourful, and the musical rating is an ideal accompaniment.

Most likely probably the most disappointing element of The Legend of Nayuta is its general narrative, which is considerably unoriginal and predictable. Now the sport shouldn’t be particularly narrative-focused to start with, at the least to not the identical extent because the precise Trails collection, so there’s not as a lot emphasis positioned on character writing, world-building, or issues of that nature. The story right here follows a really formulaic construction, though it slots properly right into a online game structure. The villain and his final motivation are additionally stuff you’ve seen earlier than, they usually fail to compel on their very own.

Even so, Boundless Trails is a pleasant recreation that does not overstay its welcome. Fight mechanics are literally fairly first rate all issues thought-about, and the extent design is a few of Falcom’s finest on this fashion. Boss encounters are additionally, for probably the most half, well-designed and diversified. Actually, Nayuta is only a competent recreation throughout.

So far as the PC port goes, very like many current Falcom titles, it was dealt with by Peter ‘Durante’ Thoman and his firm PH3 video games. And like a number of of PH3’s ports, Nayuta’s may be very strong, though it would not have the wealth of configuration choices that you’d see within the firm’s Ys ports, for instance. Even so, fashionable PCs should not have any drawback maxing out the sport, and extra modest builds ought to have little concern as effectively. Oddly sufficient, the PC port has already been out there for greater than a 12 months now on Steam, simply solely in Japanese till NIS America patches within the English localization. And though I have not performed it this fashion myself, I’m additionally advised that the PC model performs very effectively on Steam Deck.

The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails invokes a sense of an earlier period of Falcom in a few of the finest methods. With a captivating presentation and commendable gameplay, this can be a satisfying recreation and a straightforward advice to anybody on the lookout for a light-hearted motion RPG romp.

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