GameTimeline

Release & story order

Trails timeline

Nihon Falcom's The Legend of Heroes: Trails (Kiseki) from the 2011 US Trails in the Sky debut through Trails beyond the Horizon (January 2026)—the messy Western localization order that put Cold Steel on shelves before Crossbell, and the intended Liberl → Crossbell → Erebonia → Reverie → Calvard story path. FAQ covers starting at Cold Steel, Sky the 3rd, Reverie, Daybreak, and the Sky remake. Long-form RPG neighbors: Persona, Fire Emblem, Xenoblade Chronicles, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest.

Updated August 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When XSEED and NIS America localized each mainline Trails chapter for the West—Trails in the Sky (March 29, 2011) through Trails beyond the Horizon (January 15, 2026). Release is the order English players actually met, which parks Cold Steel I–IV before Zero and Azure. Vita Evolution ports and the Sky 1st Chapter remake are optional editions—not extra titles on this list.

  • Newcomers 2026 → Trails in the Sky (FC), then SC and the 3rd
  • Cold Steel first → only if you accept Crossbell spoilers and pause before CS3
  • Western history → Release shows why Erebonia arrived before Zero and Azure
  • Skip Evolution ports and the FC remake as extra titles—optional editions of games already here
Story order tips

Intended Zemuria path: Sky FC → SC → the 3rd → Zero → Azure → Cold Steel I–IV → Reverie → Daybreak → Daybreak II → Horizon. Liberl, then Crossbell, then Erebonia, then the Reverie stitch, then Calvard. Cold Steel I overlaps Zero's calendar year; play Crossbell before Cold Steel III regardless.

  • Core path: Sky FC → SC → the 3rd → Zero → Azure → Cold Steel I–IV → Reverie → Daybreak → Daybreak II → Horizon
  • Hard line: Zero and Azure before Cold Steel III—CS1–II can precede Crossbell if you want
  • Sky the 3rd is not optional flavor—Kevin, Ries, and later Gralsritter payoffs start here
  • On Story order, later entries may be hidden—reveal when ready or use Show all spoilers

Timeline

Release follows US localization dates, not Falcom's Japanese order. Cold Steel landed in English in 2015; official Zero waited until 2022. Use Story for the intended Liberl → Crossbell → Erebonia → Calvard path.

Release order

  1. Trails in the Sky

    Trails in the Sky

    PSPPCRPGMainlineLiberl

    Trails in the Sky (US March 29, 2011) is Estelle Bright's Liberl opener—airships, orbments, and XSEED's first Western Trails localization. It teaches the AT grammar every later Kiseki chapter still speaks.

    Overview
    Turn-based AT combat, Bracer guild slice-of-life, and a continent sequels keep expanding instead of resetting. The template SC and Crossbell still answer.
    In-game setting
    Liberl Kingdom, Septian Calendar 1202. Estelle and Joshua train as Bracers from Rolent through a country of airships and orbments.
    Should you play it?
    Best on-ramp. Required before SC. 1st Chapter is an optional edition of this chapter—not a second title on this list.
    Release date
    US PSP March 29, 2011 (XSEED). Japan PC 2004, PSP 2006. Later Windows, PS4, Switch, and the 2025 1st Chapter remake.
  2. Trails in the Sky SC

    Trails in the Sky SC

    PCRPGMainlineLiberl

    Trails in the Sky SC (US October 29, 2015) is the direct Liberl sequel—Joshua's past, Ouroboros, and the coup FC only sets up. English waited four years, then Cold Steel arrived that same winter.

    Overview
    Full second-chapter scale: a larger Liberl tour, antagonist society Ouroboros, and crafts that assume you already know Estelle's party.
    In-game setting
    Liberl, late 1202 into 1203. Estelle's coming-of-age closes here; the Society stops being a rumor from FC.
    Should you play it?
    Required after FC. Do not treat Cold Steel as a substitute for this ending. Not a newcomer on-ramp if you skipped FC.
    Release date
    US Windows October 29, 2015 (XSEED). Japan 2006. Later console ports exist; this date is the Western PC localization.
  3. Trails of Cold Steel

    Trails of Cold Steel

    PlayStation 3PlayStation VitaRPGMainlineErebonia

    Trails of Cold Steel (US December 22, 2015) drops Rean into Thors Military Academy weeks after Sky SC hit PC. Western shelves met Erebonia before Crossbell existed in English—the localization twist this page explains.

    Overview
    School-arc structure, Class VII field studies, and Erebonian politics on PS3/Vita. Link attacks and a bigger 3D presentation versus Sky's boards.
    In-game setting
    Erebonian Empire, Thors, 1204. Rean Schwarzer and Class VII on field studies while Crossbell's year unfolds next door.
    Should you play it?
    Acceptable on-ramp only if you still play Zero and Azure before CS3. School-RPG neighbor: Persona—tone overlap, not shared lore.
    Release date
    US PlayStation 3 and Vita December 22, 2015 (XSEED). Japan 2013. PC 2017; later PS4/Switch ports are the usual 2026 buys.
  4. Trails of Cold Steel II

    Trails of Cold Steel II

    PlayStation 3PlayStation VitaRPGMainlineErebonia

    Trails of Cold Steel II (US September 6, 2016) continues Rean's civil-war year—Divine Knights, a divided Empire, and a timeskip CS3 later inherits. Direct sequel; still before official English Crossbell.

    Overview
    Wartime overworld, Divine Knight set pieces, and a climax-plus-timeskip that hands CS3 a new Class VII. Combat stays in the CS1 family.
    In-game setting
    Erebonia in civil war, late 1204, then a timeskip toward 1206. Class VII stops being a school club and becomes a wartime party.
    Should you play it?
    Required after CS1. Safe to reach before Zero if you started Erebonia first—pause before CS3 for Crossbell either way.
    Release date
    US PlayStation 3 and Vita September 6, 2016 (XSEED). Japan 2014. Later PC and console ports match the CS1 re-release wave.
  5. Trails in the Sky the 3rd

    Trails in the Sky the 3rd

    PCRPGMainlineLiberl

    Trails in the Sky the 3rd (US May 3, 2017) follows Kevin Graham through Phantasma after Liberl's war. English shipped it after Cold Steel I–II, so Western order parks it mid-Erebonia.

    Overview
    Dungeon-crawler structure and door-memory episodes instead of another country tour. Kevin, Ries, and the Gralsritter become series regulars from here.
    In-game setting
    Phantasma after Liberl 1203. Kevin Graham's Church chapter—not a new country, and not a side curiosity later games ignore.
    Should you play it?
    Required after SC on the intended path. Generally not optional if you want later payoffs. Different pace than FC / SC.
    Release date
    US Windows May 3, 2017 (XSEED). Japan June 2007. Console ports arrived later with the Sky collection wave.
  6. Trails of Cold Steel III

    Trails of Cold Steel III

    PlayStation 4RPGMainlineErebonia

    Trails of Cold Steel III (US October 22, 2019) is new Class VII in Leeves—and the chapter that spoils occupied Crossbell. Play Zero and Azure first if you can; this is where localization lag hurts most.

    Overview
    Instructor Rean, a new student party, bigger field combat, and Crossbell under Imperial control as a lived-in setting rather than a rumor.
    In-game setting
    Erebonia 1206, Leeves campus, and occupied Crossbell streets. New Class VII; the SSS saga is treated as already decided.
    Should you play it?
    Do not start here. If you already played CS1–II, pause for Zero and Azure before continuing. Hard spoiler wall for Crossbell.
    Release date
    US PlayStation 4 October 22, 2019 (NIS America). Japan September 2017. Later PC, Switch, and other ports.
  7. Trails of Cold Steel IV

    Trails of Cold Steel IV

    PlayStation 4RPGMainlineErebonia

    Trails of Cold Steel IV (US April 27, 2021) closes the Erebonian saga—the Great Twilight and payoffs that assume CS3 plus Crossbell. Empire finale, not a starting point, and still before official English Zero.

    Overview
    Multi-route wartime finale, Divine Knight climax scale, and a cast reunion that treats Liberl, Crossbell, and Erebonia as one board.
    In-game setting
    Erebonia 1206, Great Twilight. Allied armies and guest faces from earlier arcs; the tetralogy ends here, not the whole saga.
    Should you play it?
    Required after CS3 on either path. Do not jump here from Sky. Crossbell knowledge is assumed whether English delayed those games or not.
    Release date
    US PlayStation 4 April 27, 2021 (NIS America). Japan September 2018. Later PC and console ports are the practical 2026 editions.
  8. Trails from Zero

    Trails from Zero

    Nintendo SwitchPlayStation 4PCRPGMainlineCrossbell

    Trails from Zero (US September 27, 2022) is Lloyd Bannings and the SSS in Crossbell—Japan 2010, English twelve years later. Western order parks it after Cold Steel IV; Story wants it after Sky the 3rd.

    Overview
    City-state police procedural inside Trails' long plot: Special Support Section cases, orbal modernity, and a compact map Azure will blow open.
    In-game setting
    Crossbell City, January 1204. Lloyd Bannings and the SSS—same calendar year as CS1, a different street-level view of Zemuria.
    Should you play it?
    Required after Liberl on Story. On Western dates it is a backfill: play it before CS3 if you can, or as soon as you can if you already did.
    Release date
    US Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC September 27, 2022 (NIS America). Japan PSP September 2010. That gap is the Western problem.
  9. Trails to Azure

    Trails to Azure

    Nintendo SwitchPlayStation 4PlayStation 5PCRPGMainlineCrossbell

    Trails to Azure (US March 14, 2023) is the direct Zero sequel—the cult case, the Azure Tree, and Crossbell's bid for independence. Required before CS3; Western order arrives after the Empire tetralogy.

    Overview
    Raises Crossbell from precinct stories to geopolitical crisis: two nations squeezing one city, and an ending CS3 will treat as already decided.
    In-game setting
    Crossbell, mid-to-late 1204. Independence crisis and the Azure Tree close the SSS duology before Erebonia's later occupation chapter.
    Should you play it?
    Required after Zero. The hard line before CS3. If Western dates already walked you through CS1–IV, play this as the missing Crossbell ending.
    Release date
    US March 14, 2023 on Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and PC (NIS America). Japan PSP September 2011. Prefer the official NISA edition.
  10. Trails into Reverie

    Trails into Reverie

    Nintendo SwitchPlayStation 4PlayStation 5PCRPGMainlineReverie

    Trails into Reverie (US July 7, 2023) splits among Rean, Lloyd, and "C" after Cold Steel IV. It knits Crossbell and Erebonia and teases Calvard—play it after CS4 and Azure, not as a Daybreak demo.

    Overview
    Triple-protagonist routes that reunite SSS and Class VII, then hand the camera toward the Republic. Epilogue energy plus new-arc seeds in one package.
    In-game setting
    Crossbell and Erebonia, 1207. Rean, Lloyd, and "C" in overlapping routes after the Twilight; Calvard is the tease, not the setting yet.
    Should you play it?
    Required before Daybreak on the intended path. Optional only if you accept a colder Calvard handoff. Do not start the series here.
    Release date
    US July 7, 2023 on Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and PC (NIS America). Japan August 2020. Current NISA build is the practical buy.
  11. Trails through Daybreak

    Trails through Daybreak

    Nintendo SwitchPlayStation 4PlayStation 5PCRPGMainlineCalvard

    Trails through Daybreak (US July 5, 2024) opens Calvard with Van Arkride's spriggan office—holographic orbments and a field/command hybrid. New country and lead, not a Class VII reboot; Story wants Reverie first.

    Overview
    Calvard Republic setting, spriggan urban jobs, and a combat hybrid that mixes action positioning with Trails command tools. New cast, same board.
    In-game setting
    Republic of Calvard, 1208. Van Arkride's solutions office in Edith—holographic orbments, a multilingual capital, no Thors classroom.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Reverie. Starting here cold skips the Empire/Crossbell handover. Not a Class VII reboot.
    Release date
    US July 5, 2024 on Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and PC (NIS America). Japan September 2021. Prefer the NISA edition on current hardware.
  12. Trails through Daybreak II

    Trails through Daybreak II

    Nintendo SwitchPlayStation 4PlayStation 5PCRPGMainlineCalvard

    Trails through Daybreak II (US July 11, 2025) continues Van's Calvard year as a direct sequel—not a newcomer on-ramp. Horizon follows this chapter on both tracks after the January 2026 English launch.

    Overview
    Direct Calvard continuation: same spriggan lead, raised stakes, and systems that assume you already learned Daybreak's hybrid combat and city routes.
    In-game setting
    Calvard, late 1208 into 1209. Van's second chapter in the same Republic; Horizon is the next mainline beat, not a reboot.
    Should you play it?
    Required after Daybreak. Do not start here. Play Horizon next when you want the current Western end of the saga.
    Release date
    US July 11, 2025 on Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and PC (NIS America). Japan September 2022. Current multiplatform NISA build.
  13. Trails beyond the Horizon

    Trails beyond the Horizon

    Nintendo SwitchNintendo Switch 2PlayStation 4PlayStation 5PCRPGMainlineCalvard

    Trails beyond the Horizon (US January 15, 2026) continues Calvard after Daybreak II—Van, Rean, and Kevin on overlapping routes as Zemuria reaches for space. Current Western end of the mainline list, not a starting point.

    Overview
    Triple-route Calvard continuation that pulls Class VII and Gralsritter faces into Van's Republic era, plus systems built on Daybreak's hybrid combat.
    In-game setting
    Calvard 1209, Project Startaker era. Van, Rean, and Kevin share the camera; the continent looks up, not west to Liberl again.
    Should you play it?
    Required after Daybreak II if you want the current end of the Western saga. Do not start here. Not an optional spin-off.
    Release date
    US January 15, 2026 on Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 4/5, and PC (NIS America). Japan PS4/PS5 September 26, 2024.

FAQ

Western release vs Zemuria story order, where to start in 2026, Cold Steel first, Crossbell before CS3, Sky the 3rd, Reverie, Daybreak, Horizon, and remakes.

Release order

Release follows Western localization dates: Sky FC (2011) → SC (2015) → Cold Steel I–II → Sky the 3rd → CS3–IV → Zero (2022) → Azure → Reverie → Daybreak → Daybreak II → Horizon (January 2026). Story is Falcom's intended Zemuria path: Liberl (FC → SC → the 3rd) → Crossbell (Zero → Azure) → Erebonia (CS1–IV) → Reverie → Calvard (Daybreak → Daybreak II → Horizon). Crossbell arrived in English after Cold Steel IV because of localization lag—not because it happens after the Empire arc.

Start with Trails in the Sky (FC), then SC and the 3rd. That is the intended on-ramp and the cleanest way to meet Zemuria. Cold Steel I is acceptable only if you accept later Crossbell spoilers and still play Zero and Azure before Cold Steel III. Do not start at CS3, Reverie, Daybreak, or Horizon. 1st Chapter can replace original FC as the same chapter.

Yes, with a caveat. Cold Steel I–II work as an Erebonia school-arc on-ramp and spoil little of Crossbell. Cold Steel III occupies Crossbell and spoils Azure's ending. If you start at CS1, pause before CS3 and play Zero → Azure. Liberl (Sky) is still the kinder first language if you can spare the hours.

Story & canon

Yes. CS3 walks occupied Crossbell and treats Azure's ending as decided. CS1–II can sit before Crossbell if you started Erebonia first; the hard line is Zero → Azure before CS3. Western Release shipped CS3 in 2019 and Zero in 2022—play the games, not the English calendar, for this beat.

Remakes & ports

Optional & related

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.