Legend of Heroes, The - Trails of Cold Steel II (USA)
PlayStation 3
🇬🇧
Reviewed in 2016
82
✪ Reviewed on June 16, 2023
74
Eiyuu Densetsu Sen no Kiseki II (Trails of Cold Steel II) continues the Erebonian arc with tenfold dramatic intensity. Resolution of a memorable cliffhanger, further refined bond system. Total narrative excellence.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player12+
Description
Direct sequel to Falcom's narrative RPG deepening the political intrigues of the Erebonian empire with new companions and developments. Published by XSEED Games, released in Europe in September 2017. Continuation of the social bond system, new ARCUS combat mechanics, darker diplomatic narrative, and empire secrets revealed. Western version.
Legend of Heroes, The - Trails of Cold Steel II review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
This Western edition throws the second game's map wide open. The art direction accompanies a widened crossing: an orbal bike streaking down the roads, an airship overflying the provinces, remote regions at last reachable. Where the first entry held to the academy, the sequel unfolds the whole empire, making travel across its lands a spectacle in itself.
Signed by the Falcom Sound Team jdk, the music unfurls a repertoire of wild generosity, from the fiery rock battle theme to moving town melodies. Each region gains a memorable sonic colour, carrying a sprawling story with rare coherence. This melodic richness, celebrated by fans, remains a peak of the JRPG.
Picking up right after the empire's slide into civil war, this entry throws its hero into a conflict beyond him. Darker, the tale tests the friendships forged and reveals the scope of an underground plot. This expansive sequel confirms the political and human richness of one of the most written sagas in the RPG.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Mild"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Picking the adventure back up where it left off, reuniting with your bonds and untangling a conflict that's catching fire immediately renew the urge to push on chapter after chapter. The refined combat system and the growth of the characters reward the investment. Very wordy and reliant on the first entry, it aims at the initiated, but its long-form storytelling exerts a stubborn hold.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Picking up the thread right where the first left off, this sequel thickens the imperial intrigue further while widening the lands to explore and the party of companions. The reworked ARCUS system deepens the strategy, and a wealth of side quests, bonds to maintain and secrets to uncover stretches the adventure generously. A second leg as long as it is dense for the faithful.
Technical info
💾4,7 GB📅06/09/2016
Published by XSEED Games
Legend of Heroes, The - Trails of Cold Steel II (PS3) price, value & rarity
A direct sequel to Trails of Cold Steel extending Falcom's political plot and the cast's bonds, released in the West by a niche publisher in a restricted physical run. Its appeal lies in this status as the indispensable second part of a narrative diptych, whose absence breaks continuity, making it a target for Trails saga fans. A sought piece for JRPG collectors.
Is Legend of Heroes, The - Trails of Cold Steel II still worth playing in 2026?
Trails of Cold Steel II extends the Erebonian arc with tenfold dramatic intensity, resolving the harrowing cliffhanger that closed the first chapter, here in its official Western version. This sequel richly rewards the narrative investment made, deepening the bonds between characters and widening the continent's political stakes. The combat system, further refined, and the generosity of the content reinforce the experience. It is best to have played the first chapter to grasp its full reach. For the fan of the Kiseki saga, this second act of total narrative excellence remains essential.
