The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II Reviews

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is ranked in the 89th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
97%
Nov 4, 2016

The game has a lot to offer, and many hours of gameplay. You’re looking at around 60-70 hours, so it’s certainly bigger than the first one that was 45-50 hours long. I have had an absolute blast playing the game for my The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II review. I highly recommend that you get this game today… and if you haven’t played the first one, get both!

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5 / 10.0
Aug 9, 2019

On that note, there's little you can get from The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II that you couldn't get from other titles that likewise do it better. The narrative is winding and confusing, the characters are off-putting, and the visuals are a sore sight for the eyes. While the music and gameplay show some glimmers of promise, they ultimately end up feeling lifeless and overcomplicated, respectively. At the end of the day, Trails of Cold Steel II ends up feeling like a middle-of-the-road shonen anime that's a little too scatter-brained, and you have to slog through the off-screen battles.

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Gamers Heroes
Johnny Hurricane
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jun 8, 2019

Fans of the original Trails of Cold Steel will want to pick up this second entry, but newcomers might want to get up to speed before diving in.

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GameGrin
Jessica Robinson
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Jun 22, 2019

Trails of Cold Steel II is a marvelous addition to the series. It carries the tone of the original perfectly, continuing a saga that sees its third installment hit later this year, while at the same time delivering an exciting story all of its own.

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97 / 100
Jun 3, 2019

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is, honestly, one of the best JRPGs ever released for the PS4. The way the game handles a story even more mature than its predecessor and the connection the player has with the characters, which are very well-developed, and the turn-based combat system perfectly tuned make it a true masterpiece.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Nov 2, 2016

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is definitely a step up from the original due to its enhancements and added sense of freedom.

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INVEN
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
May 12, 2021

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is a work that contains the thoughts of Falcom, a famous JRPG company. However, it becomes controversial because of its shocking ending which changed user's thought that the series would be ended in this game.

Review in Korean | Read full review

60 / 100
Mar 7, 2021

Perhaps if they minimized some of the duplicate elements which happened in its prequel, this game could have served a more unique and solid content. You’ll discover a lot of information based around the Erebonian Empire, which is the primary setting of the Trails of Cold Steel series. As a fan of the Legend of Heroes universe, this iteration of the game serves as a checkpoint for you to join all the dots. There wasn’t much of a revamp in visuals and graphics since the prequel, but it will pack a punch when it comes to turning the tables and plot twists. As a JRPG fan, you won’t be dissapointed.

Review in Korean | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Jun 15, 2019

Trails of Cold Steel II changes the structure of the story but keeps the engaging combat. This port is more of the same with almost identical features for PS4 although the performance isn't as solid as the first game.

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4 / 5.0
Oct 20, 2019

Trails of Cold Steel II is an easy recommendation for any JRPG buff, but it’s always worth noting that patience is a virtue with this series.

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Oct 15, 2019

Though the stakes still feel too low at times, the game is focused examining the effect the war has on regular citizens, so being removed from the action at times makes sense. Trails of Cold Steel II ultimately tells a more complete and compelling story than the first game.

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9 / 10
Mar 21, 2018

It doesn’t win out over Trails in the Sky SC, it comes really damn close. The unfortunate fact that you have to slog through the low points of the first game to get to the expansive high here is a bit of a blemish…but I’d say it’s worth a little bit of pain.

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8.8 / 10.0
Sep 29, 2016

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 2 is an excellent follow up to Trails of Cold Steel. With many improvements to the core system both subtle and brand new elements to grace the field of battle with, this “sequel” is the perfect continuation to this already epic series of JRPGs from Nihon Falcom and XSEED Games.

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8.5 / 10.0
Oct 24, 2016

Overall, Cold Steel II is a much, much better game than the first game in just about every regard, but sadly, the framerate problem still exists. The new mechanics are more than welcome as they add additional strategy into the mix. For fans of the first game, it’s time to pick up right where you left off. When the game originally came out in Japan there were quite a few people singing its praises and now I see why. While Trails of Cold Steel can feel generic at times, all of the systems in place make it certainly worth the investment.

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76%
Sep 28, 2016

The Legend of Heroes Trails Of Cold Steel II is a very good game. The story is brilliant and the characters are great but the game doesn’t feel like a sequel.

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5 / 5.0
Sep 6, 2016

Though it still has some minor quirks, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is a big step up from the previous chapter in the large political drama surrounding the land of Erebonia. What I have experienced is nothing short of amazing work on both Falcom’s and XSEED’s part. Whether you own a PlayStation 3, a Vita, or both (this game also supports Cross Saves), you owe it to yourself to give this series a look. As mentioned earlier, do check out the first part of the story before diving into this one. It will give you a far greater appreciation for the story if you do.

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8 / 10.0
Aug 21, 2019

Trails of Cold Steel II has to be up there with the best in the genre in my opinion. Yes, it’s essential that you play the games in order, even if it’s just to make sure you get the best experience from the story. While there is a ‘recap’ section in the menu it doesn’t give you all of the information as I still found myself scratching my head at times. I will most definitely be investing in Trails of Cold Steel I and be aiming to get through that and finish part II so that when III is release I won’t be in the same situation again. I highly recommend this game to anyone who is looking for a new game (JRPG of course) to sink their teeth into and as such Trails of Cold Steel II fully deserves the Thumb Culture Gold Award.

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Sep 6, 2016

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is every bit as awesome as the first. Not only is the sequel bigger, it hits closer to home on political issues such as social inequality, negligent leadership, and the hardships of an ongoing war.

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8 / 10.0
Jun 27, 2019

Overall, I would definitively recommend giving this JRPG a shot, even if you haven’t played the first installment.

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8.3 / 10.0
Jun 12, 2019

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is a second part that diverges little from its predecessor, but enough to feel solid and with its own entity.

Review in Spanish | Read full review