The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II Review – Falcom’s Latest RPG Shines Despite Switch Port Challenges

The long-standing RPG series, The Legend of Heroes, returns with Trails Through Daybreak II, developed by Nihon Falcom and localized by NIS America for platforms including the Nintendo Switch.

As a direct sequel and part of the Calvard arc, Trails Through Daybreak II builds on the narrative and gameplay foundations that have made the Trails series a staple among JRPG enthusiasts.

Since its original Japanese release and subsequent localization, the title has attracted significant attention for its complex storytelling, cast evolution, and performance on various hardware platforms—most notably, the Nintendo Switch. For players who have followed Falcom’s work, especially through the Cold Steel and Daybreak entries, Trails Through Daybreak II marks a noteworthy return to form.

The sequel opens several months after the events of the previous game, with protagonist Van Arkride and his ally Elaine tasked with unraveling a string of mysterious murders in Calvard.

In a striking early sequence, both Van and Elaine face off against the dangerous Crimson Grendel, resulting in their apparent deaths.

However, thanks to the interference of the Genesi artifacts, time is rewound, granting Arkride Solutions a second chance to confront new threats and lingering mysteries from the prior year. One of the most significant gameplay introductions is the new flowchart system, which allows narrative branches based on player actions.

While this approach adds depth and variety—with a range of potential ‘bad endings’ and societal critiques echoing Calvard’s tensions—the system frequently guides players back to critical choices, limiting true agency.

This new way of progressive storytelling has been highlighted by the development team as an attempt to experiment with familiar Trails mechanics, yet, as noted by reviewers, it may benefit from further refinement to enhance player impact in future installments. From a gameplay perspective, Trails Through Daybreak II retains much of its predecessor's structure.

Core locations return with fresh dungeons and environments to prevent repetition, and a robust roster of returning and newly playable characters—including Elaine, Shizuna, Celis, and Leon—expand the party.

Characters like Nadia and Swin from Trails into Reverie also reprise their roles, benefiting from an improved combat system that introduces new S-Break abilities, refined craft animations, and quality-of-life enhancements such as instant art casting in real-time mode and cooldowns for S-Breaks. A standout addition is the Marchen Garten, a virtual-reality dungeon inspired by the Reverie Corridor, challenging players to climb through a variety of objectives—from defeating waves of enemies to seeking out collectibles.

These new modes, including fishing and investigative side missions, contribute to the overall feeling that Van’s private-eye skillset gets more spotlight, enriching the side content and rewarding engagement with subquests. Despite these advancements, technical limitations on the Nintendo Switch are apparent.

The port suffers from reduced resolution, lower texture quality, and fluctuating frame rates—particularly in larger environments.

While players using the Nintendo Switch 2 may see improved performance, visual compromises remain.

Compared to other available versions, the Switch experience is serviceable, but lacks the polish and stability found on other platforms.

Reviewers have highlighted that, while the core game remains intact, these technical setbacks may detract from immersion for some players. Narratively, Trails Through Daybreak II places a strong emphasis on deepening relationships among its ensemble cast rather than rapidly advancing the overall series plot.

With focus on character backstories—like Quatre’s long-awaited reveal and further development for Shizuna, Celis, Leon, and Feri—the game offers compelling moments for longtime fans.

However, a dense web of lore and occasional pacing issues, especially during the prolonged third act, may slow progress.

Major thematic threads, notably resistance to racism and nationalism alongside nuanced portrayals of Calvard’s social anxieties, continue to distinguish the title’s political world-building. In summary, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II is a robust iteration fitting for dedicated fans of Falcom’s universe.

Despite divisive elements and a technically underwhelming Nintendo Switch port, the game’s achievements in cast development, thematic relevance, and incremental gameplay innovation outweigh its shortcomings.

For those able to choose their platform, alternate versions may offer a more refined experience, but Switch players will still find a rewarding entry in the series.

With the narrative groundwork laid for Trails Beyond The Horizon, anticipation remains high for what Falcom will deliver next in the venerable Legend of Heroes saga.

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