The Legend of Heroes series brings us back to the country of Erebonian and Class VII of Thors Military academy in The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II by Nihon Falcom Corporation, the direct sequel to The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel.
Being a direct continuation of the previous video game, upon starting the game (after one of the most captivating musical openings ever), the protagonist deals with the aftermaths of his previous battle, which he had lost and fell into unconsciousness afterwards. Stranded practically alone in the mountains, Rean Schwarzer attempts to recollect his thoughts, belongings, and skills he had in the previous game (allowing you to catch up and learn the mechanics of the gameplay, including combat.)
However there is no reason to feel lost, if you, like me, dove straight into this sequel instead of playing the first game beforehand. In the main menu before selecting your game, there is a recap section that takes you chapter by chapter through the events that transpired for our character and many, many secondary characters in the first game. Very helpful (if just a little confusing due to all the names being thrown around), after the summary I was prepared and ready to go with this JRPG.
And what a world this game takes place in. Traditionally a class-based country, tensions were high between the upper, noble class and lowly, pathetic common class. Now, war has broken out as nobles attempt to retake control and return the country to its former “glory” where nobles ruled all. Rean and his classmates in this game go on an adventure to save those who they care about by ending the civil war that threatens the entire empire.
Gameplay-wise, I found Trails of Cold Steel II to be simple enough to pick up quickly and immediately start enjoying, but complex enough to not get bored too soon before the conclusion of the game. The turn-based combat reminded me of Fire Emblem games, with a distance each fighter can travel before they strike with speed determining combat order.
During combat, you have a few options (not including fleeing, moving, or using items): the character’s normal attack, crafts, or arts. This is where Trails of Steel II makes sure combat is not repetitive throughout the game. With the three options, you can try out different strategies and tactics to swiftly and efficiently take down your enemy, earning different experience multipliers while doing so. Additionally, as you progress through Trails of Steel II and reunite with Rean’s classmates, different fighters become available, each with their own special attributes and different arts and crafts that modifies your fighting. This keeps the combat in The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II interesting and constantly changing.
You can customize the characters as well with quartzes you can buy or make with your sepith pieces found throughout locations in your journey. These quartzes provide different skill pluses, defense bonuses, or alternative movesets for your characters giving The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Steel II another dimension of intricacy that contributes to its success.
Combat aside, this game stands out due to its fun RPG element of seeking out quests, interacting with civilians in each town, and simply wandering around at your leisure in addition to the absorbing story line. While initially released in Japanese, the English translation dub was done fantastically, with expert voice-acting that helps me leap into Trails of Steel II, accepting it as my own reality when I play.
Another aspect of the game I wholeheartedly enjoyed was the purity and goodness that surrounds your characters. The devotion and caring they have for each other is heart-warming, and every now and then Trails of Steel II drops wisdom through their characters that makes me pause and think about life for a second before continuing.
Overall, Trails of Steel II is an adaptive, wholesome, intriguing, and simply downright fun game to play. The only complaint I could possibly find is the length, but I honestly love games that require dedication to see through to the end, so I personally did not find that to be a detractor at all, and can only give The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Steel II the highest of scores.
End score: 10/10
Check Out The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Steel II Launch Trailer:
For more information, please visit here: http://www.trailsofcoldsteel.com/
PlayStation 4 Review
I'm Zepora, a junior at UC Berkeley studying Economics. I grew up attached to my Game Boy playing the Pokémon games, but now I turn to my consoles as break from school work when I'm not busy with lacrosse. I prefer RPG's with a some action, such as Elder Scrolls and Assassin's Creed (which is my favorite franchise) but am also known to play Super Smash Bros until 3am with my friends.
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