Nayuta no Kiseki has finally arrived in the West as The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails for PS4 (playable on PS5), Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms. The original game launched in 2012 for PSP in Japan, and was remastered for PS4 before seeing a Switch version released by Falcom there. This Switch version is very important because it was Falcom’s first internally-developed Nintendo Switch game. Following that, we’ve seen an enhanced remaster of Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana and a port of Tokyo Xanadu eX+. NIS America’s localization of The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails brings the PSP classic to the West with dual audio support as well, which is a nice surprise. In my The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails Switch and PS5 console review, I’ll focus on the game from the point of view of a Falcom fan, and also how it feels and compares on both consoles.
Whenever a new Trails game comes out, the first question someone asks is if they can start with this new release. The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is a Trails game, but one that you can start with if you have no experience with the series. If you do, you might find something interesting or recall specific things from a prior game in The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails. While I wouldn’t say The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is the best starting point, it is a damn fine action RPG that is worth it for Falcom fans. The best starting point on consoles right now is either Trails of Cold Steel on PlayStation or Trails from Zero on Switch. In a lot of ways Nayuta feels like a new hybrid between Zwei and Ys from Falcom. If you’ve sampled those Falcom series, you know you’re in for a good time with The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails.
Despite this being a Trails game in its name, don’t expect the grand narrative you usually get in Trails with The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails. This is more like the narrative in Ys, but is elevated by its voice acting and stage-based structure. Combat is pretty basic initially, but it grows into something special, and I love the boss fights. The boss fights here really impressed me with what Falcom accomplished on PSP just like certain moments did in Trails to Azure on a technical level. The team really knew the PSP inside out back then. Expect to take around 20 hours to finish Nayuta as well, making it quite meaty for an action RPG, but not as long as your usual Trails game.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails Switch Vs PS5 visuals and performance
Having played the PS4 version on PS5 and the Switch version docked and handheld, the major difference between both is resolution. The PS4 version supports higher resolutions than 1080p and looks excellent when played on my 1440p monitor. The Switch version looks excellent docked and handheld given the Switch’s targets, but that’s about the only real difference. The frame rate target is 60fps for both platforms, and the game has fast load times. The PS4 version also has better anti-aliasing or less jagged edges when played on the same display.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails Switch Vs PS5 features
With The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure, the PS4 version was the worst out of the three platforms. In the case of The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails, both the PS4 and Switch versions have the same feature set and were both developed by Falcom. The only real feature differences are the Switch version supporting portable play thanks to its hybrid nature and the PS4 version offering trophy support. The Switch has in-game achievements through the game’s own achievement system though which is a nice touch.
Should you buy The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails on Switch or PS5?
Regardless of where you play The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails, you will have a good time if you enjoy Falcom’s older games and like action RPGs. The more I played The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails, the more I thought of Ys VIII on Vita and how impressive it was for the platform, and I almost regret not trying out the PSP version of Nayuta no Kiseki through an import. Both the PS4 and Switch versions of The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails are great, and you should get it on either. Just keep in mind the resolution difference if you care about playing on TV rather than in handheld mode. If you enjoy these kinds of games on the go, The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails was originally a PSP game after all, and the Switch version is excellent on the go.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails on Switch is actually Falcom’s first internally-developed game for the platform, and it is an excellent version of a PSP classic. If you’ve ever wanted to sample some of the developer’s older games and enjoy action RPGs, this is worth your time on both Switch and PS5. If you don’t play it for whatever reason, make sure to listen to the soundtrack at least. It really is a window into another era for Falcom, in a good way.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails releases on September 22 in Europe and September 19 in North America for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. The PC (Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store) version will be updated in time for September 19 with English support. Check it out on PC via Steam.
