The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II Reviews
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.
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
A pretty decent PS4 version.
Review in French | Read full review
There’s a satisfying combat system, a halfway decent story, and a lot of weird little activities to keep you busy. I was just hoping for some more growth between the first game and the second one.
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
It's definitely more "continuation" than "sequel," with Trails of Cold Steel II following on from not only the story of the prequel, but also with the already accessible (by JRPG standards) battle mechanics and character customisation features, which prove to work well to add a little strategy to the proceedings. Despite some shortcomings, there is a lot to like here, especially for Persona fans who have become so familiar with the calendar-based narrative and party member bonding sessions that affect gameplay, with a mature storyline that doesn't stray too far from its anime roots, but strikes a perfect balance with its wonderful characters.
Trails Of Cold Steel II feels less like a sequel, and more like the second half of an incredibly rich JRPG experience. There’s a lot to take in between both these titles, and it can feel like a slog at times, especially with the first game. Cold Steel II does a great job of making that slog worth it, and delivers with an action packed story and a consistently challenging gameplay experience.
Another engrossing example of traditional Japanese role-playing, that’s still accessible enough for anyone to enjoy – as long as they’ve played the first one.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Overall, I would definitively recommend giving this JRPG a shot, even if you haven’t played the first installment.
For every 20 lazy console ports, once in a while there comes a game that really gets what PC gamers want. This is that game.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 2 is a solid and enjoyable sequel. The tone has changed, but the characterization and combat are back in full force. There are a few nagging complaints here and there but nothing that should sour the experience for people who enjoyed the first game. At worst, it feels too familiar in both strengths and weaknesses. Almost every complaint and praise about the first game can be leveled at the second. ToCS2 is not a game for newcomers at all and is only for fans of the first. Likewise, be prepared for a game that leaves as many questions as it answers. It's a more satisfying ending than the first game, but there's still a lot more going on in Erebonia.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is a fun JRPG that has a lot to offer the patient player. It doesn't take as long to get off the ground as its predecessor but its complexly woven narrative nevertheless makes it a slow burn. For those who weather that burn, however, satisfaction on an unprecedented scale awaits. Not even the mechanical issues can overshadow just how fantastic the story of Cold Steel II is, how rich the world is, and how compelling the characters are. This is a must-play for those who enjoy jumping into a game for the long haul. Cold Steel III can't come soon enough.
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.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II stumbles with its pacing in places where the first game doesn't, but it's still an RPG worth playing.
While Trails of Cold Steel II doesn’t always lend itself to on the go gaming, it deserves a spot in your Vita library regardless.