Van Arkride returns in The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II, the next chapter in Falcom’s long-running RPG series. Following the events of the first game, Van and his allies find themselves pulled into a new mystery—one that quickly escalates into something far more dangerous. What begins as a routine case soon spirals into a conflict that threatens to shake Calvard’s future.
With familiar faces returning and new threats emerging, Daybreak II builds on its predecessor’s foundation. The game expands its mix of real-time and turn-based combat, adding refinements to both. Side content and character interactions play a bigger role, offering more ways to engage with the world. The story focuses on character growth and key events, laying the groundwork for future developments.
Does Trails Through Daybreak II push the series forward, or does its focus on details hold it back? Let’s take a closer look.
A Story Stuck in Place
Trails Through Daybreak II picks up where the first game left off, but its approach to storytelling takes a different turn. Van’s latest case starts with a clear hook—a serial killer impersonating his Grendel form—but the plot soon shifts focus. Instead of focusing on the main mystery, the game spends a lot of time on individual character arcs. These moments develop the characters but often distract from the main conflict, causing the larger Trails storyline to stall.
The Dead Ends mechanic changes how events unfold. Agnes can now rewind time with the Oct-Geneses, undoing key moments. While this adds a new layer of strategy, it also makes certain scenes feel less impactful. Major scenes often feel predictable since time can be reversed, making key moments lose their impact. Strong stories rely on consequences, but Daybreak II holds back when it matters most.
That said, the game still delivers strong character writing, particularly for returning favourites. Swin and Nadia have their own side plot, which at times feels more interesting than the main story. Renne has key moments that tie into Trails’ history, leading to some of the game’s strongest scenes. As a longtime fan, I enjoyed these interactions, but the story often felt like it wasn’t making real progress.
By the time the credits rolled, I was left with mixed feelings. Daybreak II does a great job at character-driven moments but struggles to deliver the kind of narrative momentum that makes the Trails series so interesting.
Refining the Fight
Trails Through Daybreak II builds on its predecessor’s hybrid combat system, refining both real-time and turn-based battles. The action-based Field Battles let you attack enemies in real time, while the tactical Command Battles provide a more strategic approach. This time, Cross Charges change up combat—perfectly dodging an enemy attack lets you switch characters instantly, boosting their attack power. This makes battles feel more fluid and rewards careful timing.
Turn-based combat now includes new mechanics that change how battles play out. S-Crafts, which were previously overpowered, now have a cooldown, preventing you from spamming them. This forces you to use standard Crafts and Arts more strategically, making fights more varied and tactical. EX Chains, another new gameplay feature, encourage smart positioning—linked characters can now follow up on each other’s attacks for extra damage. These small adjustments make combat feel more dynamic without taking away its strategic focus.
The expanded roster introduces new characters with unique skill sets, offering more ways to build your party. Swin and Nadia bring new combat styles, while returning characters have new abilities that make them stand out. Outside of battles, Marchen Garten serves as a repeatable dungeon where you can grind for experience, resources, and special items. While the dungeon itself can feel repetitive, it offers a solid way to power up your team between story segments.
One of my toughest fights was against a boss that dodged most of my attacks. After missing several strikes, I switched to real-time combat and landed a perfect dodge, triggering a Cross Charge. This let me swap in Elaine, whose quick attacks kept up. Midway through, I had to time my S-Crafts carefully instead of using them right away. When the boss unleashed its ultimate move, I countered with an EX Chain, ending the fight with a strong combo. Battles like this show how Daybreak II improves combat, rewarding skill and strategy.
With its refined combat, expanded roster, and new mechanics, Trails Through Daybreak II offers some of the best battles in the series. Even with the occasional repetition in Marchen Garten, the game delivers a combat system that feels both responsive and tactical.
Bringing Calvard to Life
Trails Through Daybreak II builds on the first game’s visual style, making small but noticeable improvements. Character models look sharper, environments have better lighting, and battles feature more polished effects. S-Craft animations, in particular, look great, with flashy sequences that showcase each character’s abilities. However, the game reuses a fair number of assets from its predecessor, especially in city areas and dungeons, which often feel unchanged, with only small adjustments. While this is expected for the series, some locations feel too familiar with little change.
The soundtrack delivers a mix of energetic battle tracks and atmospheric themes, staying true to Falcom’s signature style. Rock tracks add energy to battles, while jazz and orchestral music fit the exploration and story scenes. While the music isn’t as memorable as past Trails games, it fits the experience well. Both Japanese and English voice acting are well done, with performances that suit the characters.
Despite some asset reuse, Trails Through Daybreak II presents a polished experience. Strong battle animations, solid voice work, and a fitting soundtrack help bring the world of Calvard to life.
Trails Through Daybreak II is a Worthy Continuation of Calvard’s Story
Trails Through Daybreak II continues the story in Calvard, improving on the elements that made the first game great. The game does a great job focusing on character moments, with strong development for both new and returning characters. The focus on personal arcs, while sometimes slowing the main narrative, helps make the cast feel more connected and relatable. If you are a fan of the series, you’ll appreciate how the game builds on its rich character history, especially with moments like Renne’s story.
Combat has seen significant improvements, with new gameplay mechanics like Cross Charges and EX Chains making battles feel more dynamic and strategic. The introduction of cooldowns for S-Crafts forces you to think more carefully, using a mix of abilities to maintain an advantage. This keeps combat interesting and rewarding, especially during tougher boss fights.
However, the story’s pacing can feel uneven at times. The reliance on character arcs and the Dead Ends mechanic, which rewinds time to undo major events, can reduce the impact of key events and slow down the plot. While it does a good job with character development, the main story doesn’t make much progress, leaving the larger plot for future games.
Presentation-wise, Daybreak II’s visuals are cleaner, with improved lighting and sharper character models. The soundtrack fits well with the gameplay, but it’s not as memorable as in previous Trails games. The voice acting, both in Japanese and English, adds personality to the cast and adds to the overall experience.
The Marchen Garten dungeon provides a solid way to grind and level up your team, though its repetitiveness can wear thin pretty quickly. Still, the side content and optional activities add replay value, ensuring there’s plenty to do beyond the main storyline.
Overall, Trails Through Daybreak II improves on its predecessor with better gameplay and strong character moments. Despite pacing issues and reused assets, it still offers an enjoyable experience for both newcomers and long-time fans.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II
Summary
Trails Through Daybreak II builds on its predecessor with refined combat and strong character moments. While the story’s pacing can feel uneven and the focus on character arcs slows the main narrative, the game’s strategic battles and solid presentation make for an engaging experience. Although some technical issues and repetitive content may detract from the overall experience, Daybreak II still offers a rewarding journey for both newcomers and longtime fans of the series.
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