Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter review: yet another triumphant remake

Date:
Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:00:00 +0000

Description:
Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is another triumphant remake thats oozing with combat depth, visual flair, and excellent quality of life updates.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Nihon Falcom is on a real hot streak right now, and its showing no signs of slowing down with Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter . The remake of 2006s acclaimed Japanese role-playing game (JRPG), The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
SC, is packed full of excellent quality-of-life updates that are sure to delight veteran players and newcomers alike, with full English voice acting,
a visual overhaul, and modernized combat. Review info Platform reviewed: PS5 Available on: PS5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC Release date: September 17, 2026 But just how good is Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter ?
Should you play it? Here are my thoughts after countless hours of gameplay. Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter (Switch) at Amazon for 49.99 I absolutely loved this games predecessor, which launched last year and was among the best RPGs released in 2025. Yes, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter was a phenomenon, supplying a beautiful blend of action and turn-based combat, silky smooth performance, and a brilliantly revamped UI. I sunk so many hours into that game, and so I was delighted to find that everything I loved about 1st
Chapter transferred across to this follow-up. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: A first-rate follow-up (Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo) Ill start by talking about gameplay, which feels just as tight and refined as it did in 1st Chapter . You can rush around the world and attack enemies with Arts and basic attacks in Quick Battle. This is great if you
want to mow through enemies especially weaker ones without having to spend too long strategizing, and it feels incredibly rapid and responsive. Being able to hack, slash, and whack your foes in a flash means that the game feels well-paced, and longer dungeons dont seem too daunting.

However, you also have the choice to partake in turn-based Combat Battles to vanquish your opponents, and this is where a lot of the depth comes in. You have to carefully manage your Craft Points (CP) and Energy Points (EP), which enable you to use brutal physical and magical attacks and support options, while also carefully positioning your units to manage health.

It's also crucial to keep an eye on turn order to avoid getting KOd before
you unleash your attacks, choosing when to steal bonuses from your foes to heal or deal critical damage, and when to launch a deadly all-out team
attack. Best bit (Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo) My absolute favorite part of this game was simply managing my Orbments building out the ideal set of Quartz to buff my allies, to protect against almighty attacks, and to unleash mega damage on my foes. As you can gather, there are a lot of mechanics to consider, and theres plenty of depth to be found in command battles. But perhaps the most important thing is to manage your Orbments properly. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Orbments string a number of gems together, known as Quartz, which determine the Arts that you can use in battle. Carefully curating your Orbments for
each character is crucial, and I had an absolute blast tinkering around to build the ideal build for every boss.

By travelling the world and taking on optional battles and quests, you can unlock some seriously powerful Quartz too, which makes exploration feel truly rewarding.

This may seem like a lot to take in at once especially for newer players.
But dont worry there are plenty of difficulty options to choose from to fit your desired level of challenge. Theres everything from Very Easy to
Nightmare (one for the true sadists). I selected Advanced this time out,
which is somewhere between Normal and Hard, and while the road got tough at times, the Orbment system gave me all the tools I needed to shield my allies from devastating attacks. Hey bro, wya? (Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo) The follow-up from the 1st Chapter is seamless gameplay-wise, and also in terms of narrative.

You can watch a recap of the first game if you want a refresher (or if you missed it entirely), and youre reminded that Joshua (the protagonist Estelles adopted brotherlover? Both?) has fled. I wont delve into the reasons why in this review, but essentially, Estelle decides to attend a specialist training camp to bolster her skills and track him down herself. It sounds pretty
basic, but the story is pretty engrossing, actually. Like the first game, there are deeper political elements to explore, and you get to learn more about the mysterious secret society, Ouroboros.

The narrative remains gripping throughout, and there is no shortage of characters who join Estelle on her journey, be they returning faces like the travelling musician and romantic Olivier or the alcohol-loving Senior Bracer, Scherazard. (Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo) Voice acting is strong
across the board, and breathes so much life into this colorful and
charismatic cast. Some of the more low-key parts of the story and side
content are only voiced partially, though, meaning you can get one character narrating their thoughts aloud while others sit in silence with text boxes. This was also in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter , and can create a slightly awkward atmosphere in moments, though I understand this is more of a nitpick.

Its also worth noting that this is a true anime-inspired JRPG with all of the melodrama and theatrics that youd expect from the genre dialled up to 11. While this produces some stronger emotive moments and a good amount of comic relief, it may feel overbearing for some players. A few characters, like Anelace, go on pretty long monologues about the importance of wearing pretty bows while facing your foes. The wandering priest, Kevin, likes to let
Estelle know how pretty she is about 10 times in the space of five seconds during the games opening section, too.

While this is by no means something that ruins the experience, I did find
some of the characters a little unlikeable. So yes, some dialogue can feel superfluous at times, and it can also stretch on for quite a while. But there is a speed-up mode, and theres nothing stopping you from skipping over the less crucial dialogue segments. Robustly revamped for the modern era (Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo) On top of what Ive already mentioned, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is filled with a slew of masterful modernizations that really make the game click.

Like last time out, the UI has been considerably revamped and feels
incredibly intuitive to sift through, while also looking great. Managing
items and skills is seamless and easy, and you can access your quest list, recipe book, and the map in an instant. The speed-up option is also very welcome if you want to fly through your quick battles or travel over a long distance when fast-travel isnt available.

The visuals are also great once again. Shimmering water, rich forest environments, and character models all look spectacular, at least on the PS5 version I played. By default, the game runs at silky 60fps with next-to-none hiccups whatsoever, but you can also play in performance mode, which targets 120fps at the expense of some graphical fidelity. This is perfect for fast-flowing action combat and exploring vast open areas. Loading screens are also incredibly brief, and I continue to be blown away by how well these
games play on modern platforms.

One more thing I absolutely love about this remake is its stellar soundtrack. Theres an eclectic mix of delicate acoustic tracks, funk-infused high-energy tunes, and grandiose, hard-hitting battle themes that totally immerse you in the land of Liberl. Again, you have the option to pick between standard, arranged, or original background music something that long-time fans no
doubt appreciate.

All in all, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is another exceptional remake that effortlessly maintains the strong momentum its predecessor picked up.
Gameplay is varied, depth-filled, and addictive; the narrative is engaging, and the quality-of-life upgrades make it feel almost like a brand new game all while carrying over the beloved aspects of the source material. Sure, the games melodramatic nature might not be to everyones taste, but if youre a fan of the JRPG genre and want an epic adventure to sink your teeth into, then look no further. Should you play Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter? (Image
credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo) Play it if...

You want a deep combat system to sink your teeth into Combat is excellent in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter , with a brilliant blend of action and turn-based battles available. The depth of the combat system is also impressive; you need to be considerate when it comes to your Orbments, turn order, stealing bonuses, and so much more.

Youre looking for a game with peak performance I was absolutely wowed by the performance in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter , and luckily that remains the case for its sequel. It's visually striking, runs at an incredibly smooth 60fps, and theres even a performance mode that targets 120fps if you have a compatible display. Don't play it if...

Youve never played a Trails game before While theres an option to catch up
on the events of Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter , Id strongly recommend
playing that title before you jump into this one. This is a direct sequel,
and a lot of the story elements wont make much sense if you start here. The first game is the ultimate entry point so be sure to get that finished
before hopping into this.

Youre not a big fan of anime-style melodrama If youre not a fan of the classic anime tropes and over-the-top characters, you might find it a little challenging to get on with the case in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter . I
still like a lot of the characters here personally, and the core narrative is very strong, it has to be said. Accessibility features You can adjust the subtitle language to English, German, French, or Spanish, and select either English or Japanese voice acting. There are a number of ways to customize the cameras behavior, too, such as normal or inverted configurations, camera movement speed, and camera distance.

On top of this, there are difficulty options, including a Very Easy mode if you just want to focus on the games story. Unfortunately, there is no colorblind mode. How I reviewed Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter (Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo) I spent two weeks playing through Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter , during which time I played through the main story, took on a bunch of side quests, and sunk hours into exploring the land of Liberl.

For the most part, I played the game on my PS5 while connected to the Sky Glass Gen 2 TV and my Marshall Heston 120 soundbar. However, from time to
time I dipped into the title on my PlayStation Portal remote player, and had the Sonos Ace Ultra headphones connected to listen to in-game audio.

More generally, Ive spent years reviewing gaming software and hardware at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I reviewed the previous game in this series, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter , and have covered a wider range of JRPGs here, including Fire Emblem: Fortunes Weave , Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake , and The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales .

First reviewed September 2026 Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter: Price
Comparison 49.99 View voucher gift 49.99 View voucher gift Low Stock 50.85 View 52.95 View voucher gift 54.99 View Show more We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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