The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II Preview
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II will be released in English next month, on February 14, 2025, and promises to pick up exactly where the first Daybreak title left off. In this game, players will once again step into the shoes of Van Arkride, a 'spriggan' mercenary, and return to the Calvard Republic. Daybreak II is a direct sequel and you should play it after the first game.
Three months after the end of the first match, all is not well in the capital. A strange red version of Grendel, Van's monstrous transformation, has been seen wreaking havoc. This Crimson Grendel seems connected to our jaded protagonist. Ace Bracer Elaine Auclair is on the case, mostly because she's worried about her troublesome ex.
And that's not all. The returning characters, Swin and Nadia, have come to Calvard looking for someone. Their path will lead them on a collision course with Van, no matter what Van has to say about it. A quiet life of sneaking through alleys and solving cases seems firmly out of reach once again.
More black fantasy
Trails Through Daybreak II will continue to explore mature themes in its side quests and main narrative. The first game heavily addressed themes of discrimination and crime, so it will be interesting to see where the second goes. As always, Van can choose different options to resolve his cases, which influences his Law, Gray, and Chaos alignments.
The relationships established in the first game will also be further developed. In particular, Van's ties to Elaine, his ex-girlfriend turned professional adventurer, and Agnès Claudel, the shy schoolgirl who broke into his office.
Both women are on the cover of the game for good reason, and both have a history of pushing Van out of his comfort zone. Renne will also get some attention in this installment and her S-Craft will be something to behold.
The game will reportedly be structured very similarly to Trails into Reverie. In other words, each chapter will have a fixed party. But players who want to customize their own party will still be able to enjoy the additional content.
Trails Through Daybreak II further refines combat
Trails Through Daybreak II maintains most of the combat system from the original game. However, it adds an extra layer of polish. Field battles will now be more fluid. Players can also hold down triangle to cast an Arte. And if you dodge perfectly, you can combine with another character.
Turn-based command battles will be largely the same with a few exceptions. First, players can no longer cast two S-Boosts in quick succession. Secondly, there will be many more opportunities to use Van's Grendel form. The first game was pretty light on Grendel's battles, so this is a refreshing change.
Another refreshing change is the addition of mini-games. Players will be able to play mini-games in each chapter and while fishing. This should add some flavor to the game. And for those who love mini-games, you can play as much as you want in the Marchen Garten bonus dungeon.
Garden of the Marks
Trails Through Daybreak II features a digital bonus area called Marchen Garten that players can explore. The first few levels are mandatory, but after that, players can roam the garden as they please. This otherworldly space is part of an expansion of virtual reality technologies within the continent of Zemuria, and beating it unlocks certain post-game content.
While in Marchen Garten, players can organize their ideal groups and go crazy. It is the only place where players can obtain costumes and clearing levels multiple times will earn greater rewards. And while the game's ending should make sense to players who don't defeat the Marchen Garten, its story will tie into future installments.
Speaking of story, you can expect the second installment of the Trails series' Calvard arc to be packed with complex character dynamics and tons of fantasy world-building. There's even a new card game, Seven Hearts, which appears to be a revamped version of Uno. And by completing certain tasks in the game, you'll earn rewards for your achievements. Some of the rewards are quite valuable.
All in all, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II is shaping up to be a worthy successor to the first game. Unfortunately, it's a direct sequel and not a good way to enter the franchise. Fortunately, Daybreak I is a good place to start. And if you are excited about this noir fantasy show, you must hurry up and check it out. After all, there is only a month left until the second part comes out.