Games worth discovering

Yes, The Legend of Nayuta still looks like a PSP game, but it's definitely worth checking out

5K View2023-09-21

The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails

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SHOULD I PLAY THE LEGEND OF NAYUTA: BOUNDLESS TRAILS?

Play it if you’re a fan of Falcom games or old-school JRPGs. The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails was originally released for the PlayStation Portable, so it’s a little rough around the edges, but it’s still very fun. There’s a great mix of action combat, platforming, and slice-of-life gameplay here, along with a charming story. It never reaches the highs of other Falcom series, like the Ys or Legend of Heroes games, but it’s entertaining in its own right.

TIME PLAYED

I played seven hours of The Legend of Nayuta, which gave me a chance to complete a variety of levels, fight all kinds of monsters, and see a decent chunk of the story. It looks like the game has around twenty hours of story in total, but if you’re a completionist like me, the sidequests will keep you busy for a lot longer. Falcom’s Legend of Heroes series is absolutely massive, so I appreciate how manageable this title feels.

WHAT’S AWESOME ABOUT THE LEGEND OF NAYUTA: BOUNDLESS TRAILS?

• Addictive combat. The Legend of Nayuta has simple hack-and-slash combat, but it uses it in a unique and compelling way. The main character, Nayuta, has the basic sword combos and dodge rolls you’d expect to see in a game like this, but he’s accompanied by Noi, a fairy with magic moves in her arsenal. When Nayuta uses physical attacks, it refills Noi’s mana, so both characters can dish out damage at a really steady pace.

But the thing that really makes The Legend of Nayuta stand out is its platforming. Each section of the game is divided into stages that play out like a level in a platforming game. There are no overly challenging jumps or puzzles, but the platforming elements still make the combat feel more exciting.

• Awesome boss fights. Standard stages are fun enough, but The Legend of Nayuta really shines during its boss battles. No two bosses are alike, except in the sense that every one is a strange, over-the-top creature that required me to use the tools in my arsenal in unique ways. These fights were intense, and the incredible battle music took things to a whole new level. Whether I was crossing swords with a giant armor-clad fish or team of terrifying statues, defeating bosses always felt like a huge accomplishment.

• Cozy gameplay. I loved Legend of Nayuta’s action-packed battles, but I also appreciated the calmer gameplay in between stages. When I wasn’t busy fighting monsters, I could hang out in my hometown. While I was there, I could take on quests for the locals, do a little sword training on the beach, or bring ingredients to my sister so that she could make me lunch. Legend of Nayuta technically takes place while the main character is on summer break, and I loved the relaxing vacation vibes it delivered.

WHAT SUCKS ABOUT THE LEGEND OF NAYUTA: BOUNDLESS TRAILS?

• It feels like an old PSP game. The Legend of Nayuta was released in 2012, and it definitely shows its age. Visually, there are notable improvements over the original version of the game, like enhanced character models and textures, but there are times when the gameplay can be a little clunky.

The combat is smooth, and the game runs at a steady 60 frames per second, but the fixed camera can be a big headache. There were several times when I missed what should have been an easy jump because I couldn’t properly see the angle of the platform I was aiming for. Sometimes, I’d walk back and forth across a level trying to figure out what to do because I couldn’t see a path that was barely in view. A few more updates to the gameplay would have made this a much better experience.

• There’s a lot of backtracking. The Legend of Nayuta constantly asked me to replay new versions of stages or loop back to an earlier section of a map to grab something I missed. This repetition isn’t always a bad thing, but there are definitely times when it got a little tiresome. I had a blast playing through new versions of stages that I loved, but it was frustrating to have to replay stages I didn’t really enjoy the first time around.

💬 Will you go on a summer adventure in The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails, or do you prefer vacations with a little less monster fighting? Tell me more about your perfect summer vacation in the comments!