Having celebrated its 20th anniversary, Nihon Falcom's flagship 'Trails' series continues its effort to revisit its roots. Beginning with 'Trails in the Sky the 1st' released last September, its remake sequel, 'Trails in the Sky the 2nd', is set for release on September 17 following the release of its demo.
As the initial step, 'Trails in the Sky the 1st' brought together 20 years of expertise, offering fond memories for veteran fans and showing new players a harmonious blend of classic JRPG sensibility and modern convenience. Naturally, expectations for 'Trails in the Sky the 2nd' ran high. Longtime fans would be eager to see how the story's main narrative is reimagined with modern graphics and scale, while those who entered the series with the 1st would want to find out whether Estelle and Joshua will finally reunite. Building on the benchmark set by the 1st, the 2nd delivers a deeply satisfying feast for both returning fans and newcomers alike.
※ This review contains minor spoilers for 'Trails in the Sky the 1st' and 'Trails in the Sky the 2nd'.
Stepping Up the Tempo with an Evolved Hybrid System
When thinking of JRPGs, most people immediately imagine turn-based command combat. Ever since grand predecessors like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy prior to The Legend of Heroes, this style has been an established formula among players. And that design didn't survive simply because of its long history or traditional status. In practice, turn-based command combat allows players to push system limits, read enemy moves step by step like chess or shogi, and experience the catharsis of pulling off tactical schemes that minimize party damage while taking down foes. However, because turns alternate back and forth, the pacing is inherently slower than real-time action games, which can present a barrier to entry for certain players.
Lowering this entry barrier has become a major topic for JRPG developers in recent years, and Nihon Falcom already offered an answer starting with the 'Trails through Daybreak' series. Their solution was High-Speed Mode to boost game speed, alongside 'Field Battles'—which let players fight enemies in real time on the field rather than jumping straight into Command Battles after an encounter, switching to Command Battles whenever they choose. Beginning in the Trails through Daybreak series and continuing through Kai no Kiseki, Trails in the Sky the 1st, and now the 2nd, this hybrid system has steadily evolved and refined its execution.
Though real-time combat was introduced, turn-based command combat remains the core foundation of the Trails series. As such, field combat doesn't fully replicate the feel of a dedicated action RPG. It operates more as a skirmish phase built around basic attacks and dodges, letting players bypass minor encounters quickly or gain an advantage before initiating a Command Battle. Even as a bridge to jump straight to the climax of turn-based combat, repeatedly chaining basic attacks and dodges risk getting repetitive over time. Given that Trails in the Sky the 2nd boasts a larger volume than its predecessor, addressing this issue was essential.
Trails in the Sky the 2nd cleverly solves this issue with a new mechanic called 'Brave Rush.' By expending two bars of the Brave Gauge in Field Battles, players execute a wide-area special attack alongside a companion, making it possible to wipe out normal mobs quickly without ever entering a Command Battle. In Trails in the Sky the 1st, transitioning to Command Battles was essentially mandatory after the very early game. Players would stun an enemy, immediately switch to Command Battle, activate a Brave Attack, Chain, or Burst depending on their gauge, take initiative, and control the fight with Arts or Crafts. While that setup was already significantly faster than traditional turn-based play, the addition of Brave Rush accelerates the early-game momentum even more dramatically.
As the title implies, the vast majority of people playing Trails in the Sky the 2nd will have already played the 1st. Having survived one arduous journey and setting off once more, players naturally want to breeze through introductory tutorials and get straight into the core story. Others may simply wish to speed through areas they've seen before. Capturing this user need, the design choice to let players spend their Brave Gauge right on the field to advance rapidly in the early game—rather than forcing them into Command Battles—was remarkably bold.
Maintaining Momentum with Thoughtful Level Design
Of course, this doesn't mean Trails in the Sky the 2nd neglects its core turn-based command combat. The faster tempo is strictly reserved for routine mobs used for farming or encyclopedia completion, whereas bounty monsters and boss encounters strictly play out in Command Battles. Those Command Battles also incorporate refined elements accumulated across the series—such as sub-abilities that trigger contextually out of turn, and S-Craft finisher moves that can be unleashed instantly regardless of turn order once the gauge is full—tailored to Trails in the Sky to add even greater tactical depth.
On the other hand, since Trails in the Sky the 2nd features more high-difficulty encounters than its predecessor, adding enhancements only to the player's side might raise concerns about trivializing the challenge. Given that Ouroboros, one of the primary factions in the Trails universe, steps into the spotlight in full force, players will naturally wonder how their tense combat encounters were adapted to this updated framework.
To address this, Ouroboros Enforcers utilize 'Legion Boost,' an ability even more potent than the standard Rage Boost. While Rage Boost previously boosted stats, advanced turn priority, and delivered a heavy blow, Legion Boost hogs turn order to an almost unreasonable degree. Certain Enforcers go beyond that, chaining dazzling Arts and Crafts into a relentless barrage that leaves party members completely overwhelmed. Players familiar with the original SC era might fair slightly better by preparing builds in advance, but others will likely find themselves caught off guard in the late game. Battles against Renne, for instance, frequently open with sudden instant-death attacks that claim a party member right out of the gate. Personally, beyond Renne, I found myself thoroughly tormented by the Bladelord in the late endgame, as he toys with the party using illusions and flashy Arts while ruthlessly stealing turns.
The old-school "trial by fire" trial-and-error design was common in past eras, but today it acts as a barrier to entry. Although meant as shock therapy to emphasize the depth and fun of build customization, watching party members drop dead without warning can be quite stressful. Still, because these encounters define character identity, softening them carelessly was not an option.
Trails in the Sky the 2nd largely resolves this difficulty spike by increasing the number of treasure chests scattered across fields, particularly those containing revival items like Zeram Powder. Revival items are quite expensive in the early-to-mid game, leaving many players underprepared, so placing them directly in players' hands helps them prepare for emergencies. Furthermore, chests containing key items are placed clearly in sight rather than hidden away, ensuring players can push forward without getting stuck until the narrative picks up steam around mid-game.
Alternatively, loading an earlier save point and buffing the party with cooked dishes was another effective strategy. In addition to standard dishes, cooking can yield special dishes with stat buffs, which are powerful enough to turn tight, repeated wipes into clean victories with proper prep. By integrating these seemingly small features as deliberate pillars of level design rather than mere fluff, Trails in the Sky the 2nd maintains a smooth pacing from start to finish, matching its predecessor and allowing the series' core strength—its story—to shine through naturally.
Refined Visuals and Story Direction Preserving Classic Sensibilities
To point out one thing first, players really need to know the story of Trails in the Sky the 1st before playing the 2nd. Rather than a standalone sequel, it picks up directly where the previous story left off. Therefore, playing the 1st prior to diving into the 2nd is strongly recommended. Granted, as a certain manga once joked, skipping volume one of a novel to read volume two alone is extremely rare, so this concern may be unfounded. As a safeguard, the game thoughtfully provides a summary of the 1st's story before starting, but reading a recap alone won't deliver the full experience. Part of the 2nd's unique charm comes from revisiting the places explored alongside Joshua in the 1st, now searching for him and uncovering a new conspiracy while nostalgia bubbles up along the way.
Of course, missing out on that nostalgic connection doesn't make the 2nd half-hearted. Looking at the overarching narrative, the 1st functioned primarily as the setup and introduction. While the 1st delivered a classic JRPG structure starting from a youth's wholesome adventure to uncovering a grand plot, its actual scale was modest compared to the lore hints dropped throughout. The 1st introduced characters step by step to set up a grand narrative, and the 2nd finally opens the door to the main saga by connecting those narrative threads one by one.
When addressing such grand themes, some might worry that a 20-year-old game's tone might feel dated. Moreover, as Estelle searches for Joshua, the 2nd delves into Joshua's past, as well as complex tales involving the war between the Kingdom and the Empire and ancient civilizations. While human drama and interpersonal relationships remain timeless, political views, worldviews, and philosophical themes age considerably over time—and the cinematic direction conveying them ages even more.
As demonstrated in the 1st, the 2nd focuses heavily on preserving the charm of the original game. However, unlike the original's technical limitations, this remake is rendered in full 3D, creating both anticipation and worry. In recent years, anime-style character modeling and graphical technology across subculture game developers—particularly led by Chinese studios—have advanced leaps and bounds, whereas the Trails series hasn't demonstrated that level of graphical leaps. While the 1st succeeded in capturing its signature atmosphere in full 3D with heightened detail, doubts remained over whether the 2nd could maintain that stability during larger cinematic setpieces like airship pursuit scenes. Indeed, visual effects and certain animations still display noticeable rough edges.
Nihon Falcom covered these weaknesses through smart prioritization. In cutscenes, they largely avoided using non-combat flashy skill effects unless those skills were actually usable in battle. Instead, they concentrated their resources on pivotal moments to draw player attention. As a result, background assets can look somewhat crude at times, though unless one were rewatching scenes repeatedly for a review, it wouldn't be particularly noticeable.
At first, playing through early sections still gave a slight impression of lingering roughness, but playing further makes those flaws fade away as admiration takes over for how classic JRPG sensibilities are presented through modern graphics. Released just one year after the 1st, drastic graphical improvements were unrealistic to expect, yet Falcom's knack for concealing awkward angles while maximizing cinematic impact has grown, enabling them to effectively execute larger and more spectacular setpieces.
That impression holds until the moment the Aureole is activated, after which the atmosphere shifts entirely. While graphical quality doesn't soar exponentially, painstaking attention to environmental details sets a stage truly fitting for a final showdown. This enhances the immersive storytelling of Trails in the Sky the 2nd's expanded scale, creating a relentless, fast-paced momentum straight through to the finale. Although moments where Cassius assists indirectly can feel somewhat shallow, this was present in the original game and is understandable given that it keeps the plot moving swiftly rather than bogging it down with tedious exposition.
More Than an Exemplary Remake: 'Trails in the Sky the 2nd'
As noted in the review for Trails in the Sky the 1st, the 2nd once again serves as an exemplary remake. Successfully balancing nostalgia with modern game design is a daunting task that few games pull off this well. Going a step further, the 2nd refines the minor flaws and trial-and-error moments of the 1st, pulling players seamlessly and naturally into the narrative and systems of the Trails series.
Notably, the Arts system utilizing Quartz and Orbments has been structured to feel far more intuitive. Players can grasp how elemental values and line placements determine available Arts early on by obtaining various Quartz from treasure chests right from the start. The auto-setup feature, added for players unfamiliar with Quartz and Orbments, now supports more granular options, removing the headache of build management for beginners. Side activities like casino mini-games, fishing, and searching for hidden secrets have all been faithfully restored, warmly rekindling nostalgic memories for longtime fans. And as mentioned earlier, because the overall pacing has been accelerated, even players encountering the Trails series for the first time can enjoy exploring without feeling bogged down.
Even with the accelerated play tempo, fully digesting the story takes considerable time, given how central narrative is to the Trails franchise. A first playthrough took approximately 26 hours while tackling side quests encountered along the main story path. Yet, without artificially inflated playtime padding, the experience was driven purely by captivating story and gameplay, leaving me deeply impressed by Falcom's design finesse. Granted, diving into fights against Renne or the Bladelord without prior knowledge led to multiple retries, but outside of those spikes, even beginners can breeze through the content and lose themselves in the world of Trails. Missing a few hidden secrets along the way is slightly disappointing, but with New Game+ firmly in place since the 1st, multiple playthroughs are well accommodated.
Of course, even with such careful consideration and attention to detail, a few unpolished or inconvenient elements remain scattered throughout. While mini-maps and quest tracking are supported, they only provide rough directions, which feels cumbersome until you get used to it. Checking enemy information also retains the old-school format of toggling back and forth between menus, which may feel clunky for players unfamiliar with classic JRPGs. While many of these traits can be brushed off as nostalgic flavor, player tolerance will vary depending on individual preference.
In summary, Trails in the Sky the 2nd follows the 1st by magnificently executing the task of recreating and reimagining the nostalgia of the 20-year-old original. In fact, it goes beyond expectations. On top of advancing legacy systems, Falcom skillfully concealed graphical limitations while elevating key details to maintain relentless momentum straight into the climax. Though familiar tropes might seem predictable at times, Falcom's mastery shows in how they preserve classic sensibilities without clumsy modernization, transforming nostalgia into something truly memorable.
To fully immerse oneself, playing at least a portion of the 1st remains a prerequisite; however, if you have played the 1st or fondly remember the original FC, the 2nd acts as a veritable time machine. Beyond being a simple remake, it stands as a masterpiece that flawlessly tunes nostalgic charm to a modern rhythm. Whether the spin-off Trails in the Sky the 3rd will receive a remake remains uncertain, but finishing the 2nd will undoubtedly leave players yearning for its arrival. While the original is available on Steam, the shut down of its former local publisher left it without official Korean language support in Korea. Regardless, this Trails series remake unlocks 120% of the original classic's enduring strength, making it a title well worth experiencing.
- Full 3D visuals and presentation that preserve classic charm and core strengths
- Faster and flashier real-time combat tempo
- Turn-based combat with heightened tactical depth and build customization
- Beginner-friendly QoL features, auto-setup options, and helpful tips
- Graphics and visual effects still leave a bit to be desired
- Slightly sluggish late-game pacing
- Playing the 1st beforehand is essential for full immersion
Review Platform: PS5 (Pre-release build)
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