I had an extremely good time with the Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter last year. As a big fan of the Trails of Cold Steel PC ports, finally getting the opportunity to try the first installment in the beloved JRPG series, with all the modern accoutrements of a full 3D remake, was truly a pleasure.
Falcom really didn’t skimp when it came to upgrading the experience to the standard of its newer Trails games. There’s only one problem: I wanted more.
Despite 1st Chapter being a pretty well-rounded story—clocking in at a perfectly reasonable 40 hours for me—it ends on a criminal cliffhanger. It’s easy to see why so many say that 2nd Chapter is really just the second part of the first game, something I probably should’ve clocked considering the naming convention.
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But having played Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Remake this last week or so, I can say it feels more like a victory lap, building on the setting, characters, and quests you completed in the first. It’s very much what you’d expect from the middle child of a JRPG trilogy—the cogs are turning, the characters moving, we’re going somewhere.
While I won’t spoil too much, 2nd Chapter feels like a bit more of a coming of age story for Estelle, as she finds herself adrift as a newly-made Senior Bracer. With the help of familiar faces, you’ll travel around Liberl investigating the activities of Ouroborous, the secret society who reared their head in the previous game.
So yes, it’s the classic Trails recipe: cosy and comfy odd-jobbing as you help the citizens of Liberl, but with a dash of uncovering and foiling grand nefarious schemes. I’m about 30 hours into 2nd Chapter, but it feels very much like your typical Trails game in that sense—good news if that’s what you like. I know I do.
There are a few improvements that jumped out at me, though, having played the 1st Chapter Remake so recently:
- The Bracer requests and puzzles are a lot better. I had one where I had to fix a lighthouse by reading a manual, another where I undertook a criminal investigation, and another where I literally had to beat a guy at poker, all which I could’ve failed.
- The new combat and craft animations look really good, both in terms of characters and bosses, who now have S-breaks.
- The party rostering is much improved. Though I love characters popping up and then disappearing JRPG-style, 2nd Chapter does a much better job of giving you a consistent roster and more character choice. Early in the game you’ll even get to choose between two semi-permanent party members.
You may often be revisiting the same locations, but it’s nice that the quests you completed also carry over from your 1st Chapter save data. There are so many NPCs you’ll bump into who’ll be like “Oh, I remember you helping my gran find her hearing aid.” But the situation in each region will also feel different, like the story of Liberl has moved forward.
(Image credit: Falcom)
And, of course, you’ve got the same excellent character banter. Estelle is on top form, but I genuinely found myself getting engrossed in her emotional turmoil, yet drive to fight for the truth and closure. Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter isn’t as revolutionary as 1st Chapter was, but it’s a strong sequel that certainly builds on what made the first remake so good.
If you want to play it yourself, it’s out on September 17, or you can try the Steam demo first. You can also play the demo for the 1st Chapter, which is currently 50% off—I assume to coincide with 2nd Chapter’s release.