REVIEW \u2013 The Trails<\/i> series has always stuck to a well-worn blueprint. Every installment follows the same core structure, with a fixed number of chapters, and often comes in trilogies or duologies where the setting barely changes between entries. Before diving in, it\u2019s worth understanding this upfront\u2014these games are all about extensive dialogue and serialized storytelling rather than cutting-edge graphics, new mechanics, or reinvented worlds.<\/h4>\n

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If this comes as a surprise, you\u2019ve probably never played a Trails<\/i> game before. So let\u2019s get one thing straight: Trails Through Daybreak II<\/i> is not<\/b> the place to start. This is a direct sequel to Daybreak I<\/i> (obviously), which launched last year. While the game does offer some recaps, you\u2019d still be jumping into the middle of an ongoing story. The first Daybreak<\/i>, however, was a fantastic entry point for newcomers\u2014if you missed it, check out our review from last year.<\/p>\n

Now, for those of you still here, what I\u2019m about to say won\u2019t be shocking: Trails Through Daybreak II<\/i> largely reuses the same locations, animations, and systems from its predecessor. You\u2019re essentially getting the same game, just with a new story set a few months later. Of course, there are some new mechanics and additions we\u2019ll discuss later, but ultimately, if you liked the first one, you\u2019ll enjoy this too. That said, a sequel can easily crash and burn with a weak story\u2014but luckily, that\u2019s not the case here. Trails Through Daybreak II<\/i> ups the stakes, delivers a more gripping narrative, and keeps the momentum going from start to finish.<\/p>\n

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Raiders of the Lost Ark<\/h3>\n

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Trails Through Daybreak II<\/i> kicks off a few months after the events of the first game. Van Arkride is running Arkride Solutions solo\u2014handling the kind of morally gray “Spriggan” cases that the Bracers Guild and the police can\u2019t (or won\u2019t) touch. His old crew has scattered, promising to return, but in the meantime, things have been eerily quiet in Calvard\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n

Until now. Suddenly, a new Grendel emerges\u2014a man capable of transforming into a monstrous form that bears an uncanny resemblance to Van\u2019s own mysterious power. As bodies pile up and destruction spreads, Van becomes suspect number one. Fortunately, he doesn\u2019t have to clear his name alone\u2014Agnes and Elaine join him to track down the beast. What follows is deep in spoiler territory, and yet, we\u2019re still just wrapping up the prologue! Expect new abilities, time-travel shenanigans, a colorful cast of new villains, the final Genesis, and a hunt for the remnants of the Almata crime syndicate.<\/p>\n

While Trails Through Daybreak II<\/i> is a direct continuation, it still has a few surprises up its sleeve. Yes, the dialogue is still absurdly long, and yes, there are still way too many pointless cutscenes (seriously, what\u2019s with all the random movie set moments?), but the game manages to recapture that initial sense of intrigue almost immediately. It\u2019s not just about finding the last Genesis\u2014there\u2019s a bizarre new time-travel mechanic, the story branches in two directions, and the enemy Grendel even has its own sinister red version of Mare AI. There\u2019s plenty here to keep you hooked, and despite the familiar framework, it all feels surprisingly fresh.<\/p>\n

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Endless Daybreak<\/h3>\n

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Players who\u2019ve already conquered Trails into Reverie<\/i> will recognize two returning characters making their way into this installment. I haven\u2019t played that one myself, but Van clearly knows them, and after a few scenes, it doesn\u2019t really matter whether you started with Daybreak I<\/i> or jumped in here. Longtime fans will, of course, get a kick out of seeing them back in action. These two essentially serve as \u201cstand-in Spriggans,\u201d each with their own branching \u201cB\u201d storylines that become available right from Chapter One.<\/p>\n

As expected, the game kicks off in Edith, the capital of Calvard\u2014Van\u2019s home turf. Most of the locations remain the same from the previous game, which makes sense; after all, cities don\u2019t radically change in a matter of months. Still, I sighed, bracing for an experience that might feel too familiar. But barely an hour in, I was already discovering brand-new districts, fresh hubs, new shops, and even unexpected event spaces\u2014like the Grand Circuit, where high-stakes car races unfold. I was genuinely surprised by how much effort had gone into expanding the city beyond what I had anticipated.<\/p>\n

And just when I thought I had a handle on things, the prologue wrapped up, and Chapter One whisked Van away to a completely different city. So if you were worried that this sequel would just be a rehash of recycled assets and locations, you can breathe easy. Yes, there\u2019s some overlap\u2014that\u2019s expected in a direct continuation. But if you fell in love with these characters the first time around, you won\u2019t be disappointed. Everyone\u2019s back in top form, and the story, dialogue, and interactions remain as engaging as ever. Meanwhile, the world, the locations, and many other elements\u2014aside from the core Trails<\/i> DNA\u2014have been refreshed, injecting new life into the experience.<\/p>\n

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Dawnwalker<\/h3>\n

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Now, let\u2019s talk about the new mechanics! Your AI companion, Mare, has a bigger role to play this time, complete with her own mini-games. One involves a virtual hacking maze to unlock certain treasure chests\u2014not groundbreaking, but a neat little addition. The other, however, is the real game-changer.<\/p>\n

Trails Through Daybreak II<\/i> introduces the Marchen Garten, an expanded virtual reality battle simulator carried over from the first game\u2014this time reworked into a full-fledged dungeon tower. It\u2019s clearly inspired by Persona 5<\/i>\u2019s Mementos: an optional, seemingly endless labyrinth where you can grind levels to your heart\u2019s content. I\u2019ve always appreciated features like this in JRPGs\u2014even if I don\u2019t aim for a 100% completion run, it\u2019s reassuring to know that if I hit a difficulty spike, I can always take a detour, level up, and come back stronger.<\/p>\n

The Garten also further expands the Xiphas system\u2014your in-game smartphone. Now, as you explore both the real world and the virtual one, you\u2019ll collect data packets that Mare excitedly converts into various items through the Garten menu. It\u2019s an unexpectedly efficient loot system, helping to offset the constant money struggles I faced throughout much of the game.<\/p>\n

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Just Another Day for Van Arkride<\/h3>\n

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For every new addition, something\u2019s been tweaked or rebalanced. In Daybreak II<\/i>, the game limits how frequently you can unleash the high-damage, turn-breaking S-Breaks. In the first game, you could max out your shards and spam these devastating attacks, especially if you managed to stun your opponent. This time, S-Breaks come with a cooldown mechanic\u2014once you fire one off, you\u2019ll have to wait until your shard boost resets before using it again.<\/p>\n

I also noticed that bosses and enemies tend to stay stunned for a few turns longer than they did in the first game\u2014probably to encourage players to make use of the new dual attack system when they don\u2019t have an S-Break at the ready. It\u2019s a minor tweak, nothing game-breaking, but it definitely forces you to rethink some of the old tricks that worked so well in the previous entry. No doubt, players will find new exploits, but expect that some of the cheese strategies from the first game might not cut it this time around.<\/p>\n

The last thing I\u2019ll say about combat is that Trails Through Daybreak II<\/i> is noticeably tougher than its predecessor\u2014partly due to the aforementioned changes. Even on normal difficulty, with my party at the recommended level (matching the floors of Marchen Garten, for example), I found myself getting wiped by enemies that simply had too many turns and dealt more damage than I could realistically heal before they struck again. More than once, I had to make use of the “weaken enemies” accessibility option after a rough loss just to keep going.<\/p>\n

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