The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,599 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II Game Cover
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In Trails of Cold Steel II, civil war engulfs Erebonia after the Noble Faction's occupation of Heimdallr. Rean, the protagonist, seeks to reunite with Class VII and end the conflict, while haunted by the fate of his friends who sacrificed themselves for his escape. This sequel continues the story of Trails in the Sky, offering new characters and enhanced strategic combat.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Play​station Vita
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,599 reviews
story329 positive mentions
grinding35 negative mentions
  • Provides closure to the story of original Class VII after the cliffhanger ending of CS1.
  • This game likely has the most consistently good OST in the entire series thus far.
  • Combat system and character builds feel more in-depth and fun to play around compared to CS1.
  • Certain parts of this game feel like filler, especially on a replay knowing what happens in CS3 and CS4.
  • Ending felt drawn out compared to other games due to the epilogue chapter.
  • The pacing can be slow, especially in the first act, making it feel tedious at times.
  • story964 mentions

    The story of "Trails of Cold Steel II" is a direct continuation from the first game, picking up immediately after its cliffhanger ending and delving deeper into the political turmoil of the Erebonian civil war. Reviewers praise the narrative for its emotional depth, character development, and intricate world-building, although some note pacing issues and a reliance on familiar tropes. Overall, the game is regarded as a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering a rich and engaging story that rewards players who have followed the series closely.

    • “Trails of Cold Steel II follows the Trails series tradition of the second game being a dramatic improvement in storytelling and gameplay compared to the original.”
    • “The story picks up a month after the first game's ending and focuses on the Erebonian civil war, as well as the events of Trails to Azure in Crossbell, with Rean getting swept up into this whole mess alongside his friends.”
    • “The story is sweeping, emotional, and affecting, resonant and positive, showcasing the characters' growth and the bonds they form amidst the chaos of war.”
    • “The plot is convoluted and newcomers will be left confused.”
    • “The story is so captivating and just keeps making you wanting to know what's gonna happen next.”
    • “The story picks up quickly where you left it in the first game and the hours just flew by with this one.”
  • gameplay248 mentions

    The gameplay in "Trails of Cold Steel II" builds upon its predecessor with several enhancements, including the introduction of the Overdrive mechanic, which allows for more strategic combat. While the core turn-based system remains largely unchanged, the game offers improved mechanics, character interactions, and a more engaging combat experience, making it both familiar and fresh for players. Overall, the gameplay is praised for its depth, accessibility, and the ability to balance challenge with enjoyment, although some players note that it can become easy to exploit certain mechanics.

    • “Trails of Cold Steel II follows the Trails series tradition of the second game being a dramatic improvement in storytelling and gameplay compared to the original.”
    • “The gameplay mechanics in Trails of Cold Steel II are equally impressive, offering a traditional RPG experience with turn-based battles, a robust leveling system, and a variety of customization options.”
    • “The new combat options continue to make things even more interesting, and I really appreciated keeping the gameplay snappier with shorter cutscenes and more choices in where you go and what order to do things.”
    • “The gameplay in this game is still pretty light.”
    • “You are pretty much able to abuse a lot of the gameplay this time around which makes nightmare mode a complete joke.”
    • “It doesn't bring anything new to the table; neither the gameplay nor the graphics got any improvements, still exactly the same as cs1.”
  • music141 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising it as one of the best soundtracks in the series, featuring a mix of new tracks and familiar themes that evoke strong emotions. While some noted a lack of creativity and repetitiveness compared to previous installments, the overall quality and orchestration remain high, enhancing the game's storytelling and character development. Takahiro Unisuga's compositions are particularly highlighted, contributing to an immersive experience that resonates with players.

    • “This game likely has the most consistently good OST in the entire series thus far (thank you Takahiro Unisuga).”
    • “The music is incredible; I especially love how this series always uses a new battle theme for each installment, and each type of boss battle, but in sequel games, they always find an opportunity to bring back the music from the previous games as a treat.”
    • “The soundtrack is equally impressive, with a sweeping orchestral score that perfectly complements the game's epic scope and grand themes.”
    • “The soundtrack lacks creativity and becomes monotonous.”
    • “Many tracks feel hollow and devoid of emotion, making them inferior even to the weakest songs in Zero and Azure.”
    • “The game reuses several Cold Steel I soundtracks which is frankly to be expected, since the game release - bla bla bla.. we get it already!”
  • graphics69 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many noting that they are largely unchanged from the previous installment, often described as outdated or reminiscent of earlier console generations. While some players appreciate the unique art style and improved character designs, others criticize the lack of significant graphical enhancements and clunky animations. Overall, the visuals are considered adequate for the game's storytelling and gameplay, but they may not meet the expectations of players seeking modern graphical fidelity.

    • “The graphics and art style of Trails of Cold Steel II are beautiful, with a unique aesthetic that perfectly captures the game's sweeping landscapes and intricate character designs.”
    • “I was able to run the game on the highest graphics settings with a smooth framerate.”
    • “The visuals and animations also receive an upgrade from the previous installment.”
    • “The graphics are still mediocre and haven't been improved at all from the PS3/PS Vita versions.”
    • “Outdated graphics even for the original 2014 release date on other platforms.”
    • “Graphically speaking, the game is practically identical to its predecessor, although animations seemed to have improved.”
  • character development43 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally praised for its depth and engagement, with many players appreciating the intricate storytelling and character arcs. However, some critiques highlight inconsistencies, particularly with certain characters receiving less focus, and frustrations with gating developments behind specific events. Overall, while the character development is a strong aspect of the game, opinions vary on its execution and balance among the cast.

    • “This entry is incredible in so many ways and it makes up for the lack of AAA graphics with an amazing story, a very well-written script, great character development, and a fun battle system.”
    • “Great game, mostly because of its base world building, character development, and strategy/tactics combination.”
    • “The character development is superb and the story is incredible, but the combat system is something that I had been missing since the masterpiece that is Grandia 2.”
    • “CS2 is too focused on Rean's strength development (there is barely any character development, in my opinion) while ignoring all other characters.”
    • “I will only really talk about two of the other characters since none of the others have any kind of character development at all.”
    • “Chapter 2 was a complete waste of time, serving only to pad the runtime of the game, having you revisit locations already seen in the previous game while completing menial tasks that see no character development or additional bonds develop between the members of Class 7, with a disappointing payoff each time in uninteresting and predictable advancements in the civil war plot.”
  • emotional41 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many players expressing that it evokes deep feelings, often leading to tears during pivotal moments. The story is described as sweeping and resonant, filled with plot twists that enhance its emotional impact, while the characters and music further amplify the experience. Overall, players find it to be a profoundly moving journey that leaves a lasting impression, making it one of their favorite JRPGs.

    • “It's so emotionally driven that it is arguably my favorite JRPG of all time.”
    • “An emotional journey, to be said, shines with not only friendship, love, altruism, kindness; but also with sadness and despair.”
    • “The emotional impact and impression the final act left with us.”
  • grinding40 mentions

    Reviews on grinding in the game are mixed; while some players appreciate the fast travel and quality of life features that reduce tedium, others find certain aspects, like mandatory questlines and lengthy dungeons, to be excessively grindy. Many agree that grinding is minimal or optional, especially on lower difficulty settings, but some still feel that certain mechanics, like leveling orbal slots, can be tedious. Overall, the game offers a balance where grinding can be avoided, but those who enjoy it may find additional content to engage with.

    • “Requires no grinding if you play on medium difficulty.”
    • “No grinding needed.”
    • “No grinding required.”
    • “Combine that with an easily exploitable battle system and a very slow/tedious back-half of the game, and I cannot recommend this or the games coming after.”
    • “The game has it all: scenes that drag on for far longer than necessary with repetitive and empty dialogue that refuses to get to the point, events that follow incredibly predictable templates that are blatantly reused over and over throughout the game, as well as hours-long tedious mandatory questlines that have little to no narrative value and could be excised from the game with essentially no impact to the story.”
    • “Unfortunately, they could not end the very engaging plot at the obvious point; no, they had to add an entire unnecessary epilogue with a huge, tedious randomly generated dungeon followed by a tedious, unnecessary boss fight.”
  • humor21 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of witty character interactions and situational comedy, with specific characters like Sharon and Millium providing memorable comedic moments. While some lines and scenarios evoke genuine laughter, the humor can vary in quality, ranging from clichéd to clever. Overall, players appreciate the lightheartedness amidst the game's more serious themes, contributing to an entertaining experience.

    • “Laura committed to growing in character and in the sword, Sharon a creepy but funny maid who is incredibly powerful, and Jusis, Machias, and Millium's banter always made me laugh.”
    • “Story and dialogue are both funny and entertaining.”
    • “Rean specifically has his super mode mentioned above, and can even call his giant robot in during regular battles, which is pretty funny.”
  • replayability15 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its diverse character choices, intricate bond systems, and multiple story arcs that encourage players to explore different outcomes and interactions. Players can enjoy new scenes and character dynamics in subsequent playthroughs, making it worthwhile to revisit even after completing the main story. The combination of a deep narrative, engaging gameplay, and unlockable content ensures that players can extract substantial value from multiple runs.

    • “The diversity of choice within the games is immense, and even when you have played through all four games and know the story, you will come back and play again because it is a great story with a lot of characters and great replayability.”
    • “It has a lot of replay value with the bond system and character builds, as well as unlockable items.”
    • “The gameplay is really enjoyable, and the large amount of playable characters makes the replay value easily worth a second or even third playthrough.”
    • “More playable characters would enhance the replayability, but aside from Class VII and Sara, the rest are all timed guest characters.”
    • “While the game has a lot of replay value with the bond system and character builds, the limited availability of guest characters detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “The gameplay is enjoyable, but the reliance on timed guest characters limits the replay value, making it feel less rewarding for multiple playthroughs.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues and bugs, while others praise its solid performance and lack of crashes. Many users noted that the game runs well on lower settings, and the configuration options are impressive, allowing for tailored performance adjustments. Overall, the optimization appears to vary depending on individual hardware and settings, with some players enjoying a smooth experience and others struggling with performance challenges.

    • “The game is well optimized, and the story builds upon the greatness of the first game.”
    • “Even the options menu (configuration tool) before launching the game is impressive; it has example images of what each video setting will do, their effect on performance, etc. If I were a game developer, I would be extremely proud to have made this product.”
    • “It amazes me how this game is really optimized even for an aging, potato laptop like mine.”
    • “The game is terribly optimized, but it will run fine on lower settings.”
    • “I am going to try looking up if there are fixes, but at the moment I am unaware of how to improve the game performance or deal with these bugs.”
    • “I ding it slightly for the graphics being mediocre and clearly unoptimized.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant issues such as frequent freezes, frame rate drops, and crashes, particularly on PC. While some users experienced minor glitches that did not severely impact gameplay, others faced more severe problems that hindered their overall enjoyment. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a major concern, especially for those playing on less powerful hardware.

    • “As much as I enjoyed the first game, I cannot recommend this only because the PC port is so broken and buggy.”
    • “I can maintain 30 fps with v-sync on and around 45-60 fps (sometimes dropping to 25 fps) depending on what happened on the screen. Bear in mind that this is a laptop that freezes and goes dead or gets a BSOD just by trying to play a 1080p YouTube video.”
    • “I love this game, but for some reason the screen constantly freezes. I can hear the game running and can move around or even open the menu, but it stays frozen.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game, set against the backdrop of the Erebonian civil war, is noted for its surprisingly tame quality, contrasting with the intense themes of conflict and its impact on the characters of Class VII.

    • “The game picks up with the Erebonian Civil War and how it has affected the various members of Class VII; yet despite being a story surrounding war, the atmosphere is uncharacteristically tame.”
    • “The haunting soundtrack and beautifully crafted environments create an immersive atmosphere that draws you into the world.”
    • “Every location feels alive, with subtle details that enhance the overall ambiance and make exploration a joy.”
    • “The game picks up with the Erebonian civil war and how it has affected the various members of Class VII, yet despite being a story surrounding war, the atmosphere is uncharacteristically tame.”
    • “The world feels lifeless and lacks the tension you would expect from a setting embroiled in conflict.”
    • “Even during critical moments, the atmosphere fails to convey a sense of urgency or danger, making it hard to feel invested in the story.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy includes a sequel advertisement following the main conflict, which some players found intriguing; however, the addition of a forced extra dungeon felt unnecessary and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The game felt like it was constantly pushing me towards in-game purchases, making it hard to enjoy the experience without spending extra money.”
    • “I was really disappointed by how much content was locked behind a paywall; it felt like I was being forced to spend money to fully enjoy the game.”
    • “The monetization strategy ruined the pacing of the game, as it often interrupted the flow with ads and prompts to buy additional content.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

100hMedian play time
148hAverage play time
90-200hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 11 analyzed playthroughs

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