Legend of Heroes, The - Trails of Cold Steel II (Europe)
PlayStation Vita
🇬🇧
Reviewed in 2016
74
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✪ Reviewed on June 18, 2023
69
Trails of Cold Steel II continues the story with a darker conclusion and even higher JRPG quality. Fans of the first will be won over. Vita at the peak of its RPG catalogue.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player12+
Description
Rean Schwarzer and allies continue investigating the plot dividing the Erebonian Empire in this second Trails of Cold Steel. Published by PQube, released in Europe in October 2016. Turn-based JRPG with enriched ARCUS system, in-depth Erebonia exploration, concluding storyline. European version.
Legend of Heroes, The - Trails of Cold Steel II review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
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 up right where it stopped, reconnecting with old bonds and untangling a conflict bursting into flame instantly revives the urge to press on chapter after chapter. The refined combat system and the characters' growth reward your investment. Very wordy and reliant on the first entry, it aims at the initiated, but its long-form storytelling exerts a tenacious hold.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Pursuing the investigation into the conspiracy dividing the Empire extends the saga across a new fresco just as vast and well-stocked. Strengthening your bonds, waging long tactical battles and combing every region fills dozens of hours. That density, faithful to the Trails spirit, offers a longevity JRPG fans savour to the fullest.
Technical info
💾3 GB📅28/10/2016
Published by XSEED Games
Legend of Heroes, The - Trails of Cold Steel II (PS Vita) price, value & rarity
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
Trails of Cold Steel II in PAL form suffers a shorter European run than the US version, on a sequel only players who finished the first chapter seek. This demand gated by narrative continuity concentrates buyers on an already scarce volume. The European price reflects this twin effect of low distribution and the imposed progression through the Trails saga.
An underrated gem
A direct sequel reaping what the first one sowed, this second volume unfurls its imperial conflict with greater scope and emotion. Reserved for those who finished the prior game, it stayed under the radar. For fans of long-haul JRPGs, its narrative crescendo and endearing cast are well worth the investment.
Is Legend of Heroes, The - Trails of Cold Steel II still worth playing in 2026?
A JRPG from Falcom, The Legend of Heroes - Trails of Cold Steel II picks up the plot where the first left off, plunging Rean into an empire torn by civil war, which he roams to find his comrades and weigh on the conflict. The refined combat system, the politically very mature writing and the deepening of the bonds between characters confirm the series' excellence. The direct continuity assumes you have played the first game. For a fan of narrative JRPGs or of the Trails saga, the title keeps a perfectly preserved richness, emotion and depth.
