Another grand adventure for Estelle

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is here only a year after the first remake debuted so ready your staff and let's head out on a new journey.

For your benefit, Video Chums doesn't indiscriminately promote press releases, Kickstarter campaigns, or industry-fed rumours. 📰

Estelle's in good hands! Turn to chapter 2

First of all, do you need to play Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter before playing this? Yes! So, if you haven't done so yet and you need some incentive then head over to my review, buy the game if it sounds good, finish it, and come back here. I'll wait... like... 50 hours or so. 😆 v1d30chumz zbcyzbqyzwyztq

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter Review

Okay; now that we're all caught-up, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter continues right after the first game where Joshua is missing so you play as Estelle as you make a bunch of friends consisting of familiar and fresh faces and at one point, you can even decide who to venture forth with so there are decisions to make when it comes to forming your party. Things start out really slowly as most Trails do as you carry out quests, level-up your Bracer rank, and occasionally fight some epic bosses at the story peaks only for things to unwind so you can carry on with the next chapter. It's all familiar stuff yet it culminates in a grand fashion where our favourite staff-wielder may discover a new path ahead. 📖

Anyone care for some fresh lobster? A refreshingly gorgeous world

As you explore, fight, and take in dialogue, it's really hard not to admire the lovely visuals of Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter. From expressive character models to their excellent voice actors, getting to know the cast and watch folks grow and even take in goofy moments fleshes out the characters in wonderful ways that'll make you happy to know these chums. Meanwhile, the dungeons and overworld are filled with monsters that range from adorable panda-like creatures to hulking monstrosities that would be quite upsetting to encounter in real-life. 👹

With all of that in mind, a lot of the environments will be very familiar if you played the first game and although there are some alterations, certain parts can feel quite "been there, done that" and when you consider that some dungeons are simply too long, tedium occasionally creeps into the fun. At least the soundtrack is pitch-perfect and there are plenty of lovely sights to take in along the way. 🖼️

How about a freshly caught fish? Fight with all your might

Combat in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is very similar to the first game where you can fight foes in the field then enter the strategic turn-based mode with the tap of a button whenever you wish. I'll never get tired of this formula and this entry injects some refreshing tidbits into the formula as it's always rewarding to see party members boost each other's attacks out of the blue. Of course, unleashing S-crafts only to follow-up in a full-party rush attack to take out a whole horde of tough enemies always feels superb. 😸

My only complaint is that the battle camera sometimes makes seeing enemies' remaining HP, weaknesses, and such difficult as this window easily becomes obscured with the UI and I regularly couldn't see it no matter how I rotated the camera. This is a super-small issue, though, and the combat is a downright thrill so you're bound to have an excellent time putting your finely-tuned party into action. ⚔️

Let's team up and take these chumps down! Become a noteworthy Bracer

Of course, most of your time in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter will be spent carrying out missions for the guild; well, if you want to get the most out of your playthrough. It's these small stories that always make these games worthwhile in a stand-out way and I absolutely loved unravelling little side-plots no matter if they were as simple as taking a photo or as complicated as solving an elaborate crime based on what a bunch of witnesses tell you. As you check off these missions, you'll earn oodles of resources and pouring them into new gear, delicious food, and levelling-up your quartz slots to become more potent is satisfying stuff. I also love how you can upgrade tons of stuff such as weapons and armour and even individual quartz so there are a lot of opportunities to really refine your party setup in strategic ways to emphasise each character's strengths and ensure that they all work together well in battle. Needless to say, mastering everything is a delight. 🏆

Woah! I just won all the medals! Explore and discover

I mentioned there are repeat environments in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter but that doesn't mean exploration is a chore as there's a ton to discover across the continent with lots of goodies tucked away in unexpected places. For example, I smashed a solid rock wall only to reveal a cave that had rich sepith deposits and some enemies wandering around; that was super-fun to clear out! As always, I super-appreciate that treasures are noted on your map as snagging what's inside can be rather impressive so searching every chest out always has the potential to give you a big boost. It's excellent that many of the dungeons have so many branching paths and some mechanics dashed in such as levers that activate bridges, open doors, lower water, and all that. Sometimes, snagging a treasure is like a puzzle but it's always worth it. 💎

This doesn't seem like a fair fight... Experience some stand-out moments

As you progress through Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, you'll come across some unique moments and these little bits of joy go a long way to make the adventure more fulfilling as you never know what to expect next. For instance, one dungeon has a dark area but you discover some night vision goggles in a nearby room that make the dark areas automatically light-up green and they look adorable on Estelle, too! Heck, even wandering around towns can be lovely such as how when you walk past a kitty, Estelle actually tilts her head to stare at it the whole time; how cute! There are more substantial elements, too, such as the casino which features fully playable iterations of poker, black jack, and roulette as well as a couple slot machines that are full of references. Racking up medals only to exchange them for cool accessories is so much fun. 🎰

Hey, look; I found a penguin and a bear

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is such an excellent RPG follow-up so if you played and enjoyed the first remake, you're bound to fall in love with this freshly remade sequel in all of its characterful good times.

Watch A.J. play Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter 11:48

You may also be interested in these: Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter Review, The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon Review, Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga Review, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II Review, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak Review, The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails Review, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie Review, The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure Review, The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero Review, and The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV Review.

Discover more Legend of Heroes games, games developed by Nihon Falcom, and games with female protagonists.

Filed under: Reviews › PlayStation 5.