Fave Trails song from each game
As you may have realized, I am a big Trails fan. And I listen to a lot of music. Take this as an excuse for me to ramble about my favorite tracks (or the ones I feel stronger feelings towards) and trying to explain why I liked them so much.
Be aware that I have bad taste in music: you might not like some of my picks, it's absolutely expected!
Let's start!
Trails in the Sky FC/1st
We start strong with one of my favorite overall soundtracks of the series and probably the one I've listened to the most. Factory City of Zeiss is a bop. Hoshi no Arika/The Whereabout of Lights and Sophisticated Fight don't need introductions: they're iconic and for good reason. And what about Silver Will? Absolute banger and one of the most beloved tracks in the entire series. I love all of them as much as the next guy, but picking one of those would be a boring answer, wouldn't it?
I don't think Secret Green Passage is the superior song compared to the aformentioned, but I love it a lot. More than most people, probably. But tell me, isn't this the best track to walk into nature? Don't you think the vibes are absolutely immaculate? Fun thing is, my favourite version isn't the original or the remake one. Is the Evolution version. I don't know what is it in the orchestration of the part that starts at 0:29, but I can't stop shaking.
Trails in the Sky SC
I feel like Silver Will feels more like an SC song for me, being the motif used for the opening Silver Will, Golden Wings and the melancholic Hamel. Not to mention the awesome Super Arrange Version of the original track. But, in the end, it's still a FC song, so I'll pick something else.
But there's a theme that was first used in SC and comes back several times throughout the series: The Enforcers theme! And I also really liked it. I was considering picking Fateful Confrontation, the enforcers battle theme, but in the end I settled for a tracks that masterfully uses both the Enforcers theme and Trails in the Sky main theme: Merciless Saviour, of course! A perfect track for the last battle of this amazing duology (and my favorite game in the series!). I especially like how dark it gets around 1:45 and how it comes back more upbeat at 2:48. I can't wait to hear it in the remake!
Trails in the Sky the 3rd
3rd has a very solid soundtrack overall, but somehow it's not one of those I come back to all that often. It has, however, my favourite couple of opening and ending! The ending version of Sora Wo Miagete/Looking up at the sky feels like the perfect send off to this amazing cast of characters and I much prefer it to its iteration in SC. Cry for me, Cry for you is just pure catchiness: both the opening and the reprise as final boss in Cry for your eternity are absolutely great. Another favourite of mine is Crimson Stigma, very mysterious and ominous.
My pick, however, is probably the fan favourite: Overdosing Heavenly Bliss is just that good. First time I started fallin in love with this track was when it was featured in Falcom Acustics 2, but my favourite version is probably the Zemuria Grand Odyssey version. There's a lot of versions, actually, and they're all good. It really shows how beloved this track is by the jdk team. I really enjoy the callback to A Faint Glitter of Light at the start of the track.
Trails from Zero
I feel like talking about Trails from Zero's soundtrack without mentioning its stellar battle theme Get Over The Barrier, probably one of the most iconic normal battle theme of the series, would be a disgrace. I especially like, of course, the Roaring version featured later in the game. I also really like Arrival Existence, especially that unexpected Merciless Saviour callback.
But I'm gonna be a simple girl here as well: Inevitable Struggle is incredible. It perfectly fits the Crossbell vibes and it's HYPE. The overall melody is super catchy and I can't help but feel like I can do anything whenever It plays.
Trails to Azure
Azure's fan favourite song is probably The Azure Arbitrator, and I can see why. It's pretty epic (and I can't help to misheard some of the chorus part, which is always a plus for me). I also really love the opening for the evloution version of the game, Aoki Negai, probably my favourite opening sung by Megumi Sasaka for the series. Unfathomed force is another good one, very atmospheric.
My absolute favourite, however, is Mystic Core. You see, I played CS4 before Azure and when this was used I was like "WOOOOOOOOAH the piano so cool". You'll soon realize that I absolutely adore songs that could belong to the dancefloor. My favourite part is the one at 1:45. One of the best dungeon tracks of the entire series for sure.
Trails of Cold Steel
Here we are, possibly my favourite Trails soundtrack of all! The honorable mentions will be... a lot. First of all, CS1 has one of the best battle themes in all of the series, starting from the normal battle theme The Glint of Cold Steel, to some of the boss themes like Don't be defeated by a friend, Tie a link of ARCUS! and, of course, The decisive collision. But there's also chill music, like the Abend Time theme, and motifs that make me very emotional, like the one of Class VII.
My absolute favourite, however, is Atrocious Raid. It's perfect: the buildup, the trumpets (I think it's trumpets???), the basses... It only goes up, over and over, in a great crescendo1, each part more epic then the previous. A great track. If you haven't, I also recommend the Super Arrange version, that feels even more grandiose.
Trails of Cold Steel II
You know what? For some reason I don't feel as attached to CS2's soundtrack as CS1's. I like Senkou no Yukue and I love this game's rendition of the Enforcer's battle theme, Severe Blow. They are cool, but nothing else usually comes to mind.
Except Blue Destination, of course. I know it's the same motif as Decisive Collision, shouldn't this work like Silver Will for Sky? Listen, Decisive Collision is one of the last things you hear in CS1, it should count as CS2 soundtrack! But back to Blue Destination... this will be where you'll start notice my huge bias for Takahiro Unisuga's style. The emotional start reminding the motif of the ending song I remember you is definitely one reason I really like the track, but the best part for me, the one that gets me everytime, is the piano that starts at 0:57 and it's eurodance vibes. So good... I definitely cannot beat the 90's kid allegations.
Trails of Cold Steel III
First of all, Nageki no Refrain might be my favourite ending song of the series: honestly, the first time I heard it at the end of CS3 lives rentfree in my mind. I also quite like Step Ahead. If you are a Mitsuo Singa hater, you'll find no ally here. You'll notice, from now on, I have high regards for some songs of his.
My pick, however, could be no other song than Spiral of Erebos. It plain simply changed my brain chemistry. Like in Blue Destination, I really like the intro that kinda sets the mood. Then the core part of the song starts, with various instruments that take the lead as solo, while the percussion and bass create the atmosphere. This track is perfect to me. It's been my absolute favourite in the series for ages. And it's Unisuga, again.
Trails of Cold Steel IV
CS4 has lots of sleeper hits imho! A Changing World -From the Depths of Darkness- is honestly heartbreaking, especially the last note that sounds when in the opening Rean appears. The chills! I also really like Seductive Shudder: the Nageki no Refrain motif is so good in this! We also need to talk about Burning Throb. It's Unisuga, what can I say...
I'll be honest, if Mystic Core wasn't an Azure track, it would be my choice for CS4. I'm staying in Crossbell though. I absolute love Syncronicity #23. The Geofront never sounded so good. The melodic part at the beginning, then the drop! It's pure, ignorant fun and I'm all for that. I'd go to parties if the music was like this (and I wasn't an introvert, of course).
Trails into Reverie
This is another soundtrack I haven't listened to all that much. I think Infinity rage is pretty cool. Elegant prowess is another fun song, i love the sax and the... instrument that sounds like a xilophone?? I also really like the melody of Sword of Swords, how it starts, it really pumps me up.
And I was tempted to pick that as my favourite track of Reverie, but on a further analisys, I think Heavy Violent Match takes the cake. I don't know if it's only my impression, but it reminds me a lot of older Ys tracks until the halfway point. I honestly really like that, it feels fresh.
Trails through Daybreak
I feel like Daybreak 1 soundtrack gets a bit overlooked. It has some great battle themes, like Take the Grendel, some groovy tunes like Tharbard Night and of course my beloved What is ahead of you. If only it was used with some consistency... I've always thought it was Elaine's theme (the vocal version is even called Knights of Asteria, it couldn't be more Elaine than that!), and yet the motif is used whenever in both Daybreak games and that's a big shame. No setting Elaine aside in this house.
So, you know what? Mechanical Syndrome is my pick. And I know what you're thinking: is it because it's Syncronicity again. Yes, and I feel like it's even better! Listen to that acustic guitar! It's a vibe and I love it a lot.
Trails through Daybreak II
Remember when we talked about What is ahead of you just last paragraph? Yes, I love Line of Non-Negotiable myself. But, yeah, same issue with how it's used, unfortunately. I really like Crimson Sin as well and... would you listen to the leitmotiv at 3:46? Ok, ok, I'll shut up...
My pick for Daybreak 2 was quite easy, actually. I spent the whole 2025 listening nonstop to Believing Heart. It makes me feel good. I love how there's like a dialogue between the guitar and the piano starting from 0:52. The drum ostinato1 at 1:40 also hits fucking hard. Absolute banger.
Trails beyond the Horizon
Last but definitely not least! A lot of great songs here as well. Kevin Graham feels like it went straight out of 3rd, in the best possibile way. The Height of Majesty is pure hype, I love it when the intro starts during the cutscenes before the fights. Different Path, Same Feelings is another fave and the reorchestration of Enforcers is great as well.
However, none of them could prepare me for the incredible track Dies Irae ~Juncture of the Dawn~ is. It is now my favorite Trails track. Perfect from start to finish. The melancholic strings in the first part, transitioning slowly into a lonely voice. When I first listened to this, the chorus part just broke me. There's nothing with this specific vibe in all Trails. Apparently (but I'm not sure about the source) this was a discarded track from CS3/4 made by Unisuga. Please Unisuga, come back, we miss you.
I still haven't played Nayuta, but I'll eventually update this once I'll do it.
I hope you can find some new tracks to like if you didn't know them or, of you're a fan of the series, tell me what I've missed!
Have a good listening!
look at me using music theory terms I'm not even sure they're correct in this↩