The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 131 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 110 out of 131
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 131
  3. Negative: 16 out of 131
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  1. Vinidmx
    Jun 5, 2019
    10
    If you liked the first game you will love this one, the turn based combat is amazing, the best of tatical with all the standard of old school, excelent game, played on vita, will play again on the PS4 while waiting the 3 and 4.
    Go NIS america and Xseed.
  2. adrewtoremember
    Jun 7, 2019
    10
    These games accomplish something special that only genre giants such as Persona have accomplished with establishing an exceptional narrative, and a well meshed cast of characters.

    Graphically, ToCS II is identical to ToCS, with both serving as ports from the Vita. There are some small performance issues in the sequel that were not present in the original, however, a few dropped frames    These games accomplish something special that only genre giants such as Persona have accomplished with establishing an exceptional narrative, and a well meshed cast of characters.

    Graphically, ToCS II is identical to ToCS, with both serving as ports from the Vita. There are some small performance issues in the sequel that were not present in the original, however, a few dropped frames in a Turn Based Combat game are not nearly as glaring than in an action based combat game.

    These games are must plays for JRPG enthusiasts, and will probably fall short in receiving the recognition they truly deserve.    … Expand
  3. vahn
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    I'm only halfway through the game, but if this keeps up, I can safely say this is one of the best jrpgs I ever played in a long time, probably only second to Berseria to me.

    First things first, if you didn't play the original TOCS, DO NOT PLAY THIS ONE: the game lacks a lot of explanation that is obvious to anyone who played it, characters come and go without introduction, and overall    I'm only halfway through the game, but if this keeps up, I can safely say this is one of the best jrpgs I ever played in a long time, probably only second to Berseria to me.

    First things first, if you didn't play the original TOCS, DO NOT PLAY THIS ONE: the game lacks a lot of explanation that is obvious to anyone who played it, characters come and go without introduction, and overall the pacing is much faster and leaves not much to the building of the game, therefore, if you start from this game you WILL feel lost.

    But if you did, oh dear, this game is such a huge improvement I can't believe I skipped it throughout all these years. The first TOCS was great but it was flawed, it was slow-paced, and the story wasn't very well explained until the very end of the game, but that's because the original TOCS was more of an introduction to the world and characters, a way for us to get involved in the game's world and the characters, which sounds overly annoying but it did that splendidly: I actually cared a lot for the characters, I felt invested in their struggles, and the world was actually interesting to visit, it was fun to see the sights and everything and I wish I could've visited more without being restricted.

    But if TOCS 1 is just an introduction to the characters and world, TOCS 2 is where the story actually starts: the plot is settled, you got a goal, and the pacing is more hectic and you FEEL the threat all over the place and suddenly the places you visited are now all changed because of the story, which is much better in every aspect.

    But this is still a game and one thing I disliked of the previous installment was that the combat felt slow and not all that exciting, especially when your only method of playing the game was to use Crafts and S-crafts to finish off enemies...well that's still a thing but in TOCS 2 the spells have gotten a massive buff and they actually are BETTER now! Too good in fact since you actually miss a lot more with your physical attacks and most physical attacks don't deal as much damage as a physical one - Rean and Laura were powerhouses in TOCS1 but in TOCS2 they're very weak, especially when even a simple magic can do double the damage of a physical attack.
    That's all because now the spells are incredibly strong and much faster to cast (with one cast sepith the longest I wait is 2 turns, while before you wouldn't even see when your spell would be cast) and the quarts also give additional stats to your character, alongside the old status from tocs1, so equipping the right quarts can boost your character even further and make them a lot stronger.
    This not only makes the combat a lot better and more varied but also much more fun and easier to play, without mentioning this makes leveling also faster due to the bonuses you get from multi-kills and combat just flows more smoothly.

    Suddenly you can kill all enemies in one turn thanks to Emma and her Criminal Master Quartz that has 90% critical chance and everyone takes over 30-40k dmg and dies instantly. Before you were lucky enough if she casted her arts!

    But overall, TOCS 1 and 2 are practically the same in almost every aspect and besides the buffs in magic and combat only minor things were tweaked, like some animations and maybe some better textures, but the game feels MUCH different than what I played before! I actually enjoy fighting because I love casting spells, while in the original I would usually avoid combat if I could and only fight to gain CP - which is also easier to gain by going to an inn now!
    And quests give money now! Holy crap, they fixed that too! It was so frustrating to grind money because I needed to get some weapons! It's not much but it's still better than nothing!

    Overall the game is a MASSIVE improvement over TOCS1 in practically everything: story is better, combat is more exciting, the pacing is better and overall they fixed a lot of nuisance of the first game. Are there flaws? Unfortunately yes: enemies still rely on cheap shotting you with status effects rather than having tactics and a lot of the content is missable, to the point that a guide is mandatory if you wish to complete the game at its fullest...or have a lot of patience and do the good old "do everything after every progress"

    So is the game good enough to be recommended? Yes, but at the only condition that you played the first game, and also enjoyed it, because this game is still slower than most other jrpgs and you can still feel the game feeling sluggish at times.

    But overall, it's a massive improved from the first game, and I sincerely can't wait to play until the end. Plus the third game is there to be started!    … Expand
  4. fifty2ndassassi
    Nov 2, 2019
    10
    Great game so far this is my favorite one, soundtrack is fire! Really like the characters and how the story progresses
  5. monks99
    May 15, 2020
    10
    One of the very best jrpgs ever made! I've played entire series .trust me it's #1!!!!
  6. Neatqt
    May 3, 2020
    6
    Cast: 6/10
    Story: 6/10
    Fun: 6/10
    Gameplay: 9/10

    Recommended
    ---------------------- 40 Hours Played
  7. No_Baizuo
    Jul 21, 2019
    10
    Awesome game! Picks up right where the first left off. Gave you more freedom than the first, but stayed true to their style. Combat is easy yet enjoyable. Character development and interaction are 10/10. Soundtrack is good. Love the game.
  8. Kiyan13
    Jul 21, 2019
    10
    Great game! I can only image Xbox & Nintendo fans rating it below 8. Seriously, sometimes those "userscore" look kinda suspicious.
  9. TheBox
    Nov 4, 2019
    10
    Game deserves higher User Rating than what is shown. What people and other "official" reviewers like Worth Playing by Joseph Doyle did was review a 5/6 year old game that was ported to PS4 with 2019 standards. 2014 standards are WAY different than what we would expect from 2019 standards So yes. the graphics and muscial standards is NOT the greatest but that people should tone downGame deserves higher User Rating than what is shown. What people and other "official" reviewers like Worth Playing by Joseph Doyle did was review a 5/6 year old game that was ported to PS4 with 2019 standards. 2014 standards are WAY different than what we would expect from 2019 standards So yes. the graphics and muscial standards is NOT the greatest but that people should tone down expectations. Its not like Nihon Falcom is an AAA company in the first place.

    Highly suggested you play the 1st game as you get a better sense of urgency. If you haven't played the 1st game, there is a summary of the events that took place in the first game in the menu.

    Great Story following the events of the 1st Trails of Cold Steel.
    Great Characters furthering developing more.
    Combat is a step up from the 1st Game.
    Great BGMs.
    You will really like all the characters if you played the 1st game as they develop more here.
    ALL DLCs available FREE.
    World Building is amazing
    More to come with the 3rd entry
    Cannot wait for the Trails of Cold Steel 3 as many characters here make a return and Falcom bringing back older characters from their older Trails series.    … Expand
  10. JimmyFeckit
    Feb 4, 2020
    5
    The first game (aside from the lame villain reveal near the end) was actually a pretty entertaining game. Formulaic sure but the combat was fun and the overall plot was entertaining, even if the dialog was intensely cringe worthy sometimes.

    This game however just feels jaded. Repurposed assets from the first game, leading you to all the same areas you have seen before. It feels lazy,    The first game (aside from the lame villain reveal near the end) was actually a pretty entertaining game. Formulaic sure but the combat was fun and the overall plot was entertaining, even if the dialog was intensely cringe worthy sometimes.

    This game however just feels jaded. Repurposed assets from the first game, leading you to all the same areas you have seen before. It feels lazy, like they just wanted to shove this out the door. The combat is still as good as the first game, although some ambush fights feel very poorly balanced and led to a few group deaths with me only getting maybe one action.

    Without going into spoilers though, what killed this game for me was the plotline involving C. Just terribad. Boggles my mind that people think this game is a classic. Was hyped for this game after enjoying trails in the sky and cold steel 1 but this series is dead for me now.    … Expand
  11. Oblivionscar
    Jul 20, 2020
    8
    The continuation of the Cold Steel series is a solid entry. Not a significant change in the game from the first one, but the story is just as intoxicating and engaging as it's predecessor and can not wait for the the 3rd installment
  12. Bazzak
    May 9, 2021
    10
    COMING FROM A MAINSTREAM WESTERN RPG PLAYER. This game is even better than the first. With the STRONG CAVEAT to play the first game, this is another JRPG masterpiece. Ive played all kinds of RPGS for 15 years and the involvement ive gotten in the complex plot, characters and combat system ive never ever experienced outside of this. If you enjoy reading novels and playing RPGs this game isCOMING FROM A MAINSTREAM WESTERN RPG PLAYER. This game is even better than the first. With the STRONG CAVEAT to play the first game, this is another JRPG masterpiece. Ive played all kinds of RPGS for 15 years and the involvement ive gotten in the complex plot, characters and combat system ive never ever experienced outside of this. If you enjoy reading novels and playing RPGs this game is a solid 10. The combat system is great, as good a turn based combat as ive ever played. Even the NPCs have their own stories that keep updating. Unlike other games you need to play the cold steel arc together like a box set of novels as they are almost literally continuations of the plot that takes a 10/10 WHOLE 4 games (even longer if you want to get technical) to fully cover. The continuation is a positive and unlike anything seen in mass market gaming. If you want to see the characters and plot youre so invested in develop step by step. Put it this way, if you liked Persona 5, this is a way better game and underrated by mass market reviewers who just wont do justice to this niche of story driven gaming with great combat. Its a gem but should have been promoted way more to the west.… Expand
  13. Ikrus
    Aug 23, 2023
    0
    Why do Falcom & XSEED Games continuously put out games with heavy undertones and straight up scenes of sexual assault in their games and brush it off as comedy? I've seen people call this Japanese humor and what not, but cultures and mindsets should always be challenged and made more accessible to all groups of people.
  14. AdoMobA
    Mar 20, 2023
    8
    Pros
    - great pay off for the themes set up in the previous game
    - much higher stakes all around - the familiarity with places you visited in Cold Steel 1 make the conflict of this game personal - fun optional bosses that yield The Lost Arts - build variety out the wazoo, slowly tilting the balance between Arts and Crafts, though Crafts are still king in this game - the Divine Knight    Pros
    - great pay off for the themes set up in the previous game
    - much higher stakes all around
    - the familiarity with places you visited in Cold Steel 1 make the conflict of this game personal
    - fun optional bosses that yield The Lost Arts
    - build variety out the wazoo, slowly tilting the balance between Arts and Crafts, though Crafts are still king in this game
    - the Divine Knight battle system is a simple yet fun change of pace
    - fantastic ending that will make you hype for Cold Steel 3 and onward

    Cons
    - double down on the fan service
    - the moment Elise enters a scene I get the urge to exit my skin and then the room
    - poor optimization in areas affected by higher elements

    As the seventh game in the Trails series, Trials of Cold Steel II offers a fantastic payoff to the noble/commoner conflict set up by the first game. The cast finds themselves in a country torn by civil war and have to make decisions on how and where they would be most effective.

    The war puts Rean and the rest of Class VII through their paces as they retread locations that they familiarize themselves with in the first game. As such, this game spends a lot less time explaining and more focusing on the central conflict of Erebonia and character growth of the cast.

    Even though we travel through the familiar, we are introduced to still new allies and enemies, keeping the game from getting stale. Some returning and some completely new, all of the characters, besides Elise, slap in this game.

    The battle system started to get balanced in this game, giving the art users more tools to make their casting more palatable. Mainly in the use of accessories that allow for lower cast times, making the Arts go off quicker.

    Thanks to this, many more characters get to shine in combat. This game also introduces the One Shot Laura build which…yeah it is stupid, but I love it. Also also, Grail Burst alone has the potential to break the game. And that is only one of the five lost arts.

    Where the game struggles a little is with its optimization. I played this game on a PS4 Pro and all of the areas affected by higher elements were stuttering. Grianos, Vitas bird, also caused this as well as Vita herself when she projected her image as a means of communication. The stuttering was in fact so consistent with the observed causes that I am shocked this was not addressed.

    The other area that is more eye rolling than annoying is Cold Steel's propensity in leaning into fan service. Most of the time I can just roll my eyes and not engage with it but when one of the first events is a brother sister onsen scene that more than implies that the sister is interested, my stomach attempts to show me what I ate last night. I hate Elise and her inclusion in this story does nothing but hurt its reputation. But they are not blood related… shut up, I do not care. It is disgusting.

    I like Trails of Cold Steel II, despite its problems. Its fantastic payoff on the first game's themes is only elevated by an intriguing ending that will have you quickly booting up the next game. What a fun game.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

79
#79 Best PS4 Game of 2019
41
#41 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. Everyeye.it
    Oct 16, 2020
    83
    Boasting the same changes made to the remastered version of the progenitor, the PS4 edition of Trails of Cold Steel II undoubtedly represents the definitive version of the product, as well as an unmissable title in the video library of anyone who considers himself a true JRPG fan.
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  2. RPGamer
    Oct 21, 2019
    80
    Trails of Cold Steel II on the PlayStation 4 is definitely recommended for those who haven’t played it, and also works well for those who are looking to get back into the series ahead of Trails of Cold Steel III. The extra voice acting, the high definition graphics, and the turbo speed option make this version much more appealing to replay than the previous ones. Trails of Cold Steel II is an easy recommendation for any JRPG buff, but it’s always worth noting that patience is a virtue with this series. Those who stick with it leave with a feeling of satisfaction and catharsis, but it takes a while to get there.
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  3. Cubed3
    Aug 12, 2019
    80
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is a fun JRPG that has a lot to offer the patient player. It doesn't take as long to get off the ground as its predecessor but its complexly woven narrative nevertheless makes it a slow burn. For those who weather that burn, however, satisfaction on an unprecedented scale awaits. Not even the mechanical issues can overshadow just how fantastic the story of Cold Steel II is, how rich the world is, and how compelling the characters are. This is a must-play for those who enjoy jumping into a game for the long haul. Cold Steel III can't come soon enough.
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