An ambitious Breath of Fire II hampered by a rough period translation. Beneath the roughness lies a mature, well written JRPG.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player12+
Description
Turn-based RPG in which Ryu II quests for his origins in a world in peril. Published by Capcom, released in Europe in 1995. Exploration, combat with special combinations, improved dragon transformations, skill fusion system between characters. Second installment in the Breath of Fire series.
Breath of Fire II review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Varied and inspired, the music accompanies Ryu's quest with themes by turns melancholy, heroic and playful that bring each land to life. The rich, memorable melodies underline the high points of the story with emotion. This sonic generosity makes this entry a lasting favourite of JRPG fans.
An orphan betrayed by his own, a young dragon sets out to unmask a religion gnawing at his world from within. Darker than its predecessor, the tale tackles faith, abandonment and chosen family with unexpected gravity. This thematic ambition, rare on the console, earns it a stubborn affection among enthusiasts.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Tracing Ryu's origins in an imperiled world unfolds an adventure even more ambitious than the first, rich with towns, dungeons and secrets to uncover. The special-combo system, the upgraded dragon transformations and the skill fusion reward players who dig into the mechanics. That dense progression and the sheer amount of content to explore are why it keeps the image of a long, substantial RPG on the console.
A late PAL edition (end of 1995) of the Capcom sequel, reaching Europe on an SNES base already winding down, hence smaller runs than the US release. This version is infamous for its clumsy English translation, a source of fascination and jokes among collectors. The European box and multilingual manual make it more sought-after than the American one; complete and clean, this Breath of Fire II commands a premium, and a sealed PAL copy is genuinely rare game.
Is Breath of Fire II still worth playing in 2026?
The second entry in Capcom's RPG, Breath of Fire II thickens the formula with a darker narrative, a township to build and companion fusions through the shamans. The art direction progresses and the atmosphere gains depth. The clumsy original Western translation and heavy grinding remain its weak points. Available on modern services, it is an endearing RPG to recommend for genre fans and followers curious about the series' evolution.
