The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II Review Summary

Engaging and impactful story: The story is engaging, fast-paced, and has emotional impact. It includes interesting themes and plot twists, with a well-written script and a satisfying continuation from the previous game.

Improved turn-based combat: The combat system is turn-based and has been improved with more diversity, freedom to build your party, and new features like Overdrive and mecha battles.

Well-developed characters: Characters in the game are well-developed with full personalities. They are interesting, well-written, and feel like real people.

Outstanding soundtrack and audio: The game features an excellent soundtrack, praised as one of the best in the franchise. It includes powerful music, great voice acting, and excellent dialogue.

Positive overall reception: The game is generally well-received, with high ratings and positive feedback. It is considered a good installment in the series and a great sequel.

Story pacing issues: The story has significant pacing problems, particularly towards the end where it drags on and feels padded. Some acts, especially the second act, can feel tedious and drawn out.

Poor character development: Many characters, including the main antagonist, lack development and feel underdeveloped. Character interactions and behaviors can also feel unrealistic.

Reused assets and gameplay: The game heavily reuses assets, maps, and gameplay mechanics from the first game, leading to a lack of innovation and a sense of repetition.

Large and overwhelming cast: The game features a large cast of characters, which can be overwhelming and leads to some characters being sidelined or marginalized.

Uninteresting mecha battles: The mecha battle mechanics are uninteresting and unsatisfying, adding little value to the gameplay experience.

Character development and customization: Players enjoy the character building, development, and customization aspects, which allow for personalized progression and unique gameplay experiences.

Turn-based tactical combat: The game features a turn-based combat system with strategic and tactical elements, appreciated by players for its depth and engagement.

Mixed feelings on gameplay: Opinions on gameplay are mixed, with some finding it clunky or too similar to the predecessor, while others find it very good and enjoyable.

Difficulty and complexity: The game's difficulty settings and strategic complexity are mentioned, indicating a game that offers a challenge and requires strategic thinking.

Enjoyable mech combat: The mech combat is a highlight for many players, with calls for more mecha battles and enjoyment of the Gundam-like mechs.

Frequent game crashes: Multiple reports indicate that the game frequently crashes, affecting stability and gameplay experience.

Solid 60FPS performance: The game runs smoothly at 60 FPS with no drops, even in 4K resolution, providing a stable experience.

Audio lag and balance: Audio issues include lagging OST and balance problems, affecting the overall experience.

Minor graphical issues: Some players report minor visual bugs and rough graphics, though these issues are less frequent.

Improved animations and NPCs: Animations have improved, and issues with bugged NPCs and 3D models from previous versions have been resolved.

Recommended for series fans: The game is highly recommended for fans of the series and JRPGs, but may not be as enjoyable for those new to the series.

Play previous games first: Players are advised to start with the first game in the series or other related games to fully appreciate the experience.

Improvement over the original: The game is considered a vast improvement over the first one, making it a worthwhile experience for those who enjoyed the original.

Worth the price: The game is considered worth buying even at full price, offering great value for its cost.

Highly praised JRPG: The game is praised as one of the top JRPGs of all time, indicating high regard within the genre.

Community fair range: $29.99 - $39.99.

Game completion: 80.0h.

Story completion: 50.0h.

Endgame: 20.0h.

The game is a slow burner that gradually becomes more enjoyable as players progress, with key elements like minigames, combat systems, and character development contributing to the fun.

Reported time to anchor: 3h.

Friction: Initial fetch quests; Exploring the world; Slow pacing.

Completionist Optimizer: Uses guides and mods to ensure a complete and efficient playthrough. Motivation: To experience everything the game has to offer and optimize their gameplay. Stance: sale.

Story-Driven Enthusiast: Focuses on story progression and character interactions, often engaging in multiple playthroughs to fully experience the narrative. Motivation: To immerse themselves in a compelling narrative and character-driven story. Stance: buy.

Lore Explorer: Engages in multiple games within the series to fully grasp the lore and overarching narrative. Motivation: To explore and understand the extensive lore and interconnected stories of the game series. Stance: buy.

Steam Deck: The game has mixed reviews regarding its performance on the Steam Deck. While some users report that it runs well out of the box, others have experienced issues with controller support and stability. There are also reports of performance issues related to game balance and resource management.

External guides: The user feedback highlights significant issues with the game's navigation, farming mechanics, and complex gameplay systems. Players frequently need to rely on external guides to understand basic navigation and complex mechanics, which severely impacts the user experience. Additionally, the need to farm specific items or relationships adds another layer of frustration.