The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC

About

In "The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC," Estelle searches for Joshua while unraveling the Society of Ouroboros's mysteries. The Bracer Guild tasks her with this mission, which takes her across Liberl. Comrades, both new and old, join her in this story-driven RPG, which features new combat mechanics and improved gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC screenshot

+10

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,288 reviews

story697 positive mentions

grinding69 negative mentions

Incredible story and character development that builds upon the first game.
Engaging combat system with new mechanics like Chain Crafts and upgraded orbments.
Rich world-building with memorable NPCs and emotional moments throughout the game.

Pacing can be slow, especially in the early chapters, leading to some repetitive gameplay.
Reused locations from the first game may feel tedious for some players.
Some boss battles can be frustratingly long and feel like damage sponges.

story
1,886 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
61%
2%
The story in "Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter" is widely praised for its depth, character development, and emotional resonance, effectively continuing the narrative established in the first game. Players appreciate the intricate world-building and the way NPCs have their own stories that intertwine with the main plot, creating a rich and immersive experience. While some find the pacing slow at times, particularly in the early chapters, the overall consensus is that the game delivers a satisfying and engaging conclusion to Estelle and Joshua's journey, making it a must-play for fans of story-driven RPGs.
- “I enjoyed the story and the characters, so I do not regret my time playing this game.”
- “The best storyline in the Kiseki/Trails series and the best conclusion of what happened in Sky FC.”
- “The story is still quite entertaining and the characters are fun and charming, with amazing world-building.”
- “The story is uninspired.”
- “It kind of drags once you reach the halfway point, the familiar world feeling smaller and the plot moving just as slow 40+ hours in.”
- “The majority of the game feels like what you would nowadays call an 'asset flip.' It's absolute laziness by the devs, and the story and characters cannot carry the game well enough to make me care.”
music
419 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
44%
1%
The music in "Trails in the Sky SC" has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its emotional depth and memorable compositions. While some tracks are reused from the first game, the addition of new themes, particularly for battles and key moments, enhances the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is described as exceptional, with standout pieces like "Silver Will" being highlighted as particularly impactful.
- “The music in this game is done masterfully and with precision.”
- “The soundtrack continues to impress, and the art style is still charming.”
- “The music is fantastic in comparison to the first part, although still (in my opinion) not on the level of the more recent entries of this series.”
- “The area music is a bit hit or miss unfortunately, with some songs being great, some being kind of boring, and others being genuinely annoying to listen to at times.”
- “My only complaint is that the regular battle music is mostly unchanged, and I was getting fed up of hearing it.”
- “A lot of the music was carried over from the first game (and hey, the music in that game was great too!), but many new tracks were added in as well, especially for the various combat themes.”
gameplay
407 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
65%
3%
The gameplay in "Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter" largely mirrors that of its predecessor, featuring familiar turn-based mechanics with some enhancements like chain attacks and a more refined orbment system. While some players appreciate the strategic depth and character customization options, others find the gameplay repetitive and occasionally frustrating due to certain boss mechanics. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging story and character development, making the gameplay experience enjoyable despite its similarities to the first installment.
- “From a bigger story to more developed characters, and new gameplay options including the variety of playable characters, there's plenty new to discover in a familiar setting that makes for an amazing experience that exceeds the greats of the first game.”
- “The game starts off a little slow, but the story is very engaging and the new updates to the combat and orbment mechanics are fresh enough to keep the gameplay feeling fun and interesting.”
- “The gameplay has also been heavily improved with you now having a lot more party customization and just more opportunities to have fun with all the different arts and crafts.”
- “The gameplay remains virtually unchanged as well, including the menus, since the big new additions here are merely the introduction of chain attacks, the fishing minigame returns as a permanent addition and there are more expensive quartz options to choose from.”
- “The main cons I had as takeaways here was that some of the fights had some really annoying mechanics (like mobs endlessly summoning adds or just full healing) that didn't really feel all that challenging but were just annoying.”
- “Gameplay is exactly the same and the world maps are reused.”
graphics
151 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
72%
5%
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reminiscent of early 2000s RPGs, yet they possess a retro charm that many players find endearing. While some reviews note that the visuals lack modern polish and detail, others appreciate the colorful art style and the engaging character designs, suggesting that the graphics do not detract from the overall experience. Ultimately, the game's strong storytelling and gameplay are highlighted as more significant than its visual presentation.
- “The graphics look just as retro and charming, and I feel like some of the battle animations in the cutscenes look even better.”
- “It has a beautiful art style, and even the fake 3D pixel characters are surprisingly detailed for being so low resolution.”
- “The graphics are somewhat dated but plenty serviceable, and there are options for things like anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, and HD fonts that make the game more presentable on a modern system.”
- “The game is clearly dated, especially with its graphics alongside its lack of voiceovers, and can easily be a turn-off for most.”
- “This is an old JRPG using the same art style as Trails FC, with a few changes to character sprites that don't really seem like an 'upgrade' but rather just a different pose.”
- “The graphics are extremely dated by modern standards, but also rather fitting for the game, matching its retro feeling.”
emotional
138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players reporting intense feelings ranging from joy to heartbreak throughout their experience. Key moments, particularly in chapters 6 and 8, are highlighted as particularly impactful, often leading to tears and deep emotional engagement with the characters and their journeys. While some villains lack depth, the overall narrative and character development create a rich tapestry of emotional highs and lows, making it a memorable and fulfilling experience for players.
- “An amazing and very powerful emotional experience from start to finish. If you played the first chapter, you're going to want to delve right into the second, and it does not disappoint in the slightest, let me tell you.”
- “The story is deep, rich, and full of surprising plot twists that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster.”
- “I cried tears of joy when I finally heard that this game was being released.”
character development
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
48%
3%
Character development in this game is widely praised, particularly for the protagonist Estelle, who undergoes significant growth throughout the story. Players appreciate the depth and complexity of both main and side characters, with many noting that even minor NPCs receive meaningful development. The narrative is described as emotionally engaging, with a strong focus on character arcs that enhance the overall storytelling experience, making it one of the standout features of the game.
- “Estelle has some of the best character development I've seen in a JRPG.”
- “The sequel focuses more on character development, both for the side characters as well as the main ones.”
- “The amount of character development our main cast goes through in these two games is insane - Estelle started off as a fairly unlikable character and turned into one of my favorite main characters by the end.”
- “I'm simply worrying about the drop in quality in the character development and worldbuilding departments.”
- “But even from that angle, it sucks, since the characters are boring and no, having an exaggerated personality trait is not character development.”
- “Most of the games we see today have amazing graphics and technical accomplishments, but short 7 hour trash tier stories where everything is just thrown at you without explanation, forgettable music and zero character development.”
grinding
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
4%
91%
Overall, reviews indicate that grinding in this game is a mixed experience. While some players appreciate that the game minimizes the need for extensive grinding, allowing for a more balanced progression, others find certain aspects tedious, particularly in late-game boss fights and side quests. The game offers options to speed up combat and reduce grind time, but many still report feeling overwhelmed by the repetitive nature of some battles and the necessity of grinding for character levels in specific scenarios.
- “Normal mode is just the right amount of challenging; no grinding needed, avoiding enemies won't make you fall behind too much, no hyper-optimization needed.”
- “Also, as with the first game, very little to no grinding is needed, which continues to make this unique amongst JRPGs.”
- “It took me three tries and no grinding, just had to explore its weaknesses, change my magic setup a tiny bit and devise the right strategy.”
- “The end boss was just as challenging as some of the previous bosses that, somehow, the grinding didn't really feel like I was leveling the playing field.”
- “Unfortunately, after playing for 40+ hours, that slow burn burns out, leaving you with a really tedious slog toward the end of the game.”
- “I’m not sure who thought several hours of grinding boss fights at the end was going to be fun.”
humor
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever dialogue, memorable character interactions, and witty one-liners, particularly from characters like Estelle and Olivier. Players appreciate the balance of humor with darker themes, as well as the amusing treasure chest messages that add charm to the experience. Overall, the game's humor is considered one of its standout features, contributing significantly to its engaging narrative and character development.
- “The humor is also some of the best I've seen in a JRPG, and in particular, I loved the chest messages and Olivier.”
- “The characters remain as funny as they were in FC, the story is brilliant, the music is sensational, and the localization is without flaws.”
- “The anime-style character portraits do a wonderful and often humorous job of conveying the characters' emotions, and, as in FC, there are treasure chests that, if you interact with them post-looting, will give you a sarcastic message about doing so.”
- “Estelle will still threaten to beat others up with her staff; characters' gasps get replaced with unfunny one-liners and so on.”
- “It's so hard it's not funny.”
replayability
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
58%
16%
The game offers significant replayability through multiple starting companions, customizable party options, and various difficulty levels, which encourage players to explore different character interactions and story outcomes. However, some players feel that the replay value diminishes after a couple of playthroughs due to repetitive elements and recycled content from previous titles. Overall, while the game has strong replay potential, it may not sustain long-term engagement for all players.
- “The first few chapters are variable with a choice of two starting companions, so there's something to be said for replay value choosing the other character, probably in new game plus on a harder difficulty if you cared to.”
- “Each character that you do play with has a lot of unique dialogue which adds to replayability.”
- “Your choices on whom your party is made up of greatly affects the important and minor dialogues, this really increases the game's replay value as well as giving the player a personal touch on how to influence the flow of the story.”
- “That being said, it is for this reason that, as I mentioned before, I don't see any replay value in this game.”
- “The bad: it probably doesn't have a load of replayability after two play-throughs.”
- “Additional difficulties and new game+ add an element of replay value, but once you complete it you probably aren't going to play it again (unless you have another 80 hours to spare...)”
optimization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
50%
29%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, such as frame rate drops and stuttering, particularly in certain areas. However, others noted that the game runs surprisingly well on the Steam Deck and that enabling specific settings can alleviate some performance problems. Despite these inconsistencies, many players appreciate the game's engine scaling, which allows it to run on a wide range of hardware.
- “A bonus - this game is somehow more optimized running on the Steam Deck than the first game.”
- “The performance and character development of this game are out of this world.”
- “Bugs aside, the optimized performance and engine scaling means anyone can enjoy the game the way they wish on most PCs, even toasters.”
- “And there were some performance issues due to the port, I think, where FPS would just tank in certain areas.”
- “I have a machine that should be able to handle this easily, but I still got occasional stuttering, which was a bit disappointing.”
- “One of the few negative things I can say about this game is that the performance wasn't too great for me.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its emotional depth and immersive qualities, with a strong sense of urgency and harmony among characters that enhances the storytelling. Players feel a palpable connection to the world, driven by impactful music and a consistent aesthetic that draws them in from the start. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a living, breathing entity that significantly enriches the gaming experience.
- “Falcom did a superb job at creating a sense of atmosphere, emotional weight, and huge hype factors for all of its story scenes that allow the player to really immerse themselves.”
- “Truly a living, breathing world and breathtaking storyline, characters, setting, and atmosphere that all left me feeling with indescribable amounts of joy, that you will just have to start with Trails FC like everyone else and experience yourself.”
- “Second chapter takes off where FC left you and you will definitely feel right back at home in this game, the music is great as ever, the atmosphere takes you in and you want to keep playing until the end.”
- “Once the beginning BGM starts, I already feel the denser atmosphere of the game.”
- “The atmosphere hasn't changed much from the first game, and honestly, that's a great thing to see.”
- “An issue that plagues gamers in general nowadays is how to view graphics as well; on one hand, graphics are better than ever, and can enhance the overall experience (whether it's atmosphere, gameplay, or simply the game as a whole looking nice).”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
83%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing significant bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience, while others report a relatively smooth performance, especially on Linux. While some technical issues are noted, including graphical glitches and sequence breaks, many players find these flaws manageable and overshadowed by the game's strong narrative. Overall, stability appears to vary widely among users, with some encountering major problems and others enjoying a more stable experience.
- “This game has great story and depth, and it runs smoothly on Linux through Proton.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive; I haven't encountered any crashes or major bugs.”
- “I appreciate how well the game performs across different platforms without any significant issues.”
- “I wish I could get a refund for this buggy mess of a game.”
- “I could even overlook the technical flaws and glitches that kept popping up in the graphics and cutscenes throughout the game (some kind of endearing and some reeked of laziness), but those are all kind of just frosting on the cake.”
- “There are a couple of glitches regarding missing sprites, and in one case, a sequence break that you may not even notice happening.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn criticism for its reliance on ads that disrupt gameplay, particularly during boss battles, leading to frustration and wasted resources. Additionally, the narrative structure is perceived as a cash grab, with unresolved plot points designed to encourage players to purchase sequels, further emphasizing a focus on profit over player satisfaction.
- “Well since this game follows the same formula as FC, expect 50 hours of filler before you learn anything about them, then expect a few plot points to be resolved and 20 more to be introduced and then never get resolved, at which point you can either play the sequel and hope it gets answered, or just stop at this point and realize it's a cash grab to make you keep buying the games; why else do the games never resolve in a satisfying manner?”
- “There are even NPCs advertising the candidates.”
- “Some, but not all, bosses can summon or call in new ads to replace those you just took down, so it can get obnoxious as it just wastes your time in battle, spending points burning through spells and craft points when you could've focused that damage on the boss.”