Trails of Cold Steel 2 Review -The Game Collection

Is Trails of Cold Steel II The Underappreciated Sleeper RPG?
Immerse yourself in our deep dive into one of the most intriguing titles in the popular JRPG series: "Trails of Cold Steel" In this review, we're examining the many layers that make this sequel stand out in the Legend of Heroes: Trails series.
Embark on a journey with Rean Schwarzer and Class VII, as we delve into their riveting story and the ever-evolving dynamics of their friendships. From in-depth gameplay analysis to character development and storytelling, this review leaves no stone unturned.
We also explore the grandeur and intensity brought to the game by the Gundam-inspired Divine Knight battles. Can these giant, mechanized suits add a unique twist to the classic Trails gameplay? Watch to find out.
Don't miss out on our take on the enchanting world-building and the way "Trails of Cold Steel 2" bridges the narrative gap in the saga.
0:00 Intro
2:18 Recap of Trails of Cold Steel 1 (Spoilers)
7:18 End of Trails of Cold Steel Spoilers
13:40 Review Summary
#trailsofcoldsteel #jrpg #trailsofcoldsteelii

[@SuperDerek]

Happy Friday! Hope you're all enjoying the new upload schedule! Sunday HitPoint, Wednesday Dsicussion Videos and Friday Reviews! :)

[@caisintlys]

I don’t know how anyone could discredit this game. It’s Trails of Cold Steel: World of Ruin. Damn well written and plays like a dream. Also, it’s too much fun to delay bosses into the grave. I just finished playing yesterday, so this review is timely.

[@fattiger6957]

This series is so incredibly special to me in a way that I haven't felt for a game franchise since I was a kid. I picked up Cold Steel 1 on a whim when it was sale digitally for the Vita. I loved it so much, I bought the physical edition (the one with the big silver box that could hold the first two games) I'm currently playing Trails into Reverie and the series has never disappointed me. I love the first two games, but I didn't realize how special the series was until I started the 3rd game. I was filled with this warm, comfortable feeling seeing all these characters and places from the previous game. And the games let you breath it all in since they usually start off slow to get you acclimatized to the world. It was like meeting up with friends I haven't seen in a long time. And I really loved where they took Rean. Rarely do you see jrpg characters grow up and it was great to see Rean become a confident man teaching the next generation. Like I already said, I'm currently playing Reverie and I don't think I have ever played such a feature-rich jrpg. Every subsequent game added new mechanics, building on the combat from previous games. So players who went though the previous games (as you should since Reverie is not a jumping on point) won't be overwhelmed since they spent the last 4 games learning the combat mechanics. Definitely a series any jrpg fan should play. Just be warned that we are 10 games in and the last jumping on point was Cold Steel 1 which was 5 games ago. But, unlike a lot of jrpg series, the Trails series is available on modern systems. 7/10 games are on PS4/5. 5 are on Switch. And all 10 are on Steam. Hopefully some day they port Trails in the Sky to consoles and bring the first two Cold Steel games to Switch worldwide (It has been ported in Japan, just nowhere else)

[@quezcatol]

He joined the cult. I hold the serie just as high as mario, zelda, persona, final fantasy and warcraft!

[@fattiger6957]

I consider Cold Steel 2 to be a package deal with Cold Steel 1. It is the 2nd half of the story. You can't really take either just by themselves. Same with Cold Steel 3&4 which rhyme with the first two games in story structure.

[@SuperDerek]

Man, I'm so close to embarking on Cold Steel IV, I can taste it! :D

[@zdoggzero6595]

That’s how I feel, it’s a two disk without being a two disk, kinda like most trails games tbh, not that there’s anything wrong with that aside from the eon long localization times

[@fattiger6957]

@@SuperDerek When you play Cold Steel 4, make sure to finish all the side quests before going into the final dungeon. The true ending is locked off until you do.

[@boltinabottle6307]

@@SuperDerek I suggest adopting a playoff sports mentality with these games. One game at a time - and now for no good reason, I'll present it as a rhyme! *It's alright to chase that taste, so long as you allow yourself to savor that flavor!*

[@boltinabottle6307]

@@SuperDerek I attempted to post another comment aside from the joke one, but it didn't stick... IMO CSIII is better than IV. Finally getting to explore that "forgotten" town at the end of chapter one had me jumping up and down. I really appreciate how they handled the build up to it - the exchanges of permission for C7, as well as Agate's "show, don't tell" approach. I'm not sure how far you are (though I assume late-game by your comment), but the end of chapters 3, 4 and the finale are peak Trails.

[@oldschooldogy316]

I can't wait to get into this one. I just beat Trails of Cold Steel 1 at 2:30 this morning and I started Trails of Cold . I only played for a half an hour until I fell asleep so I feel like I really haven't gotten into it. I enjoyed the original Trails of Cold Steel so much. I feel that it's one of my favorite Japanese RPGs ever right up there with Dragon Quest 11, Yakuza Like a Dragon, and Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth. My only complaints is it was too much unnecessary dialogue and the boss fights were much too difficult even though I played on normal in the original game so this morning when I started Trails of Cold Steel still 2 I put it on easy mode. I just want to enjoy the story and the great turn-based combat and I don't want a difficult challenge. I am so glad that I bought the whole series. I bought trails of Cold Steel one through four and Trails into Reverie and I plan on beating all five games and around 3 months hopefully. I don't know though because it took me 140 hours to beat the original Trails of Cold Steel because of all the unnecessary dialogue and because the boss fights were so difficult that I had to keep replaying them. Again the game was amazing but it has too much unnecessary dialogue even for a Japanese RPG. That game had more dialogue than Yakuza games and Persona games. Once I finally beat the game I see why they put so much dialogue in it though. They want you to really get to know class 7 and all Erbonia. I'm glad I went back to the first game because I started at Trails of Cold Steel 4 on my Switch but I wanted to start at the beginning so I bought all five games on my PlayStation 5.

[@Negajoe]

I daresay this is probably my favorite of the Cold Steel games since it does everything a great sequel is meant to do by taking the first chapter and using it as the foundation for ramping up the tension and stakes now that everything's been established. Along with improved combat mechanics, making better usage of the relationship portions, and having the guts to hit you with an extremely poignant ending about upholding a hero's responsibility and moving forward in the face of mourning and hardship.

[@dangox3370]

great sequels don't force you to play through 50 hours of recycled and poorly written garbage fetch quests just so you can finally get back to where the previous game left off.

[@bongatumtum]

Totally agree with you, Derek.The whole, "Oh, yeah CS II exists." level of apathy from the fanbase is puzzling to me as well since it expands on everything the first game did and ramps up the stakes. I guess the reused assets and environments didn't sit well with people? Personally, my only criticism is that it doesn't know when to end. Too much of a good thing, maybe. Looking forward to your thoughts someday for CS III!

[@SuperDerek]

That review is written already, actually. Thinking I might change up the next review though 🤔

[@CrimRui]

To be frank, Falcom was still learning with new engine. They improve the animations and it shows. And people did not like fake out battles where you lost. I don't understand why it's a problem. It shows that you are dealing with tough enemies. I hate jrpgs when they talk about the threat but you pretty much win every battle.

[@TheNrat]

C2 was my fav in the series and my most played . Got me to finally go back and play sky and crossbell

[@greatrulo]

Goddamn it Derek, I literally finished CS1 yesterday and currently waiting for 2 to arrive today, you damn wizard. 😂 In all honesty though I might take a small break before continuing with this.

[@LilT2o00]

I'm playing Reverie now; which makes me appreciate every game before it that much more than i did when i played them

[@martinomagic9230]

Cold Steel 2 is my favorite of the Cold Steel arc, I concede that the 3rd game probably is overall upgrade game system wise and its crazy ending. 2 is the best paced and a just overall fun game which never made me feel bored, unlike the other games in this arc. I probably dislike the 4th game the most, in a way I feel it kind of ruins the whole arc and puts a bit of a damper on the series for me anyway.

[@GenmaTheSamurai]

Great video Derek! I love this game, I think it is really underrated in the series, as I find it's simplified story really refreshing, and more importantly it lets the gameplay take the focus this time. I just had fun exploring shrines, done mech fights, choosing which party members to bring so I can eventually get their accessories, zipping all across the world with fast-travel, and the combat improvements are legit great. Minor gameplay spoilers: I also loved the Suikoden stuff where helping the students unlocked facilities in your airship, and by extension unlocked mechanics for the gameplay. And until Reverie, I probably would have said this was my favorite Trails to "speedrun." It's just a dope game, I'm glad you liked it too. Here's hoping you enjoy CS3 and onwards! Sorry I missed so many streams for this, college got mean the last couple terms.

[@hopeestheim7285]

Finally, English dub is now available like Ashlyn Burch as Millium Orion Xanthe Huynh as Altina Orion Mela Lee as Sharon Krueger/Scarlet Rena Strober as Emma Millistein

[@drakenstoc4885]

I've said it in other reviews for this game, but this is actually one of my favorites in the entire series. It has a few flaws that hold it back from being the BEST in the series, but in terms of the overall package... yeah, this game doesn't get the credit it deserves in this fanbase.

[@roguerifter9724]

This was actually the first Trails game I played which led to some major issues when I started. I got a Vita as a surprise Christmas gift from a buddy in 2016. I know another buddy was planning to get me a PSP so I had spent a few months gathering for PSP games I wanted but hadn't done that for the Vita. I was a long time fan of the Legend of heroes games but Cold Steel II was the only Trails game I could find a physical copy of at the time. I eventually got Cold Steel I for Vita around the time I completed the Ghargav trilogy for my PSP then got the Sky trilogy for PC, Cold Steel III and IV for the Switch, the Crossbell games on PS4, and Revire for PS5. Now if only they would re-release the first two Legend of Heroes games on modern platforms.

[@DuoBeard]

I really adored this game when I played it back in the day. Great review as always Derek, appreciate you man!

[@andyman9255]

I like the touch of having "Red Moon Rose" as a backdrop!

[@TheGermanFabian]

Great review as always, Derek.

[@shard_the_sage1320]

Good review Derek, I really enjoyed the Suikoden aspects of gathering all your classmates and building up the base. It was nice to get away from the school environment as well, that's a nice aspect of the Trails series is they are constantly changing the setting.

[@user-yv5yg6vh6k]

Oh yeah? And the 3rd game is basically the first, when the fourth is pretty much the second. Constantly changing mhm, gotcha

[@surfmorworkless]

I’d never heard of this series before this channel speaking of it. I’m an old school gamer in my late 30s that grew up on FF7, Xenogears, Legend Of Legaia, and Ocarina Of Time among other games of that era. Been out of the loop since then. As soon as I saw mechs in this, it caught my attention.

[@SuperDerek]

Yeah, this series has been under the radar for a long while now. The developers stuck to PC and Turbografx back in the retro days, (Legend of Heroes, Ys, etc) but they've got a solid pedigree and have been around since the 80s. Dragon Slayer was one of the very first ever Action RPGs ever made. But the Trails series honestly brings Japanese RPGs to a new level, I think, at least in terms of being able to tell a series of smaller stories that add up to one coherent, massive story. Like.. You ever play a good RPG, and are kind of sad when it's over? For this series, you can just play the next one to see more of your favorite characters continuing their stories. It's wild! :)

[@surfmorworkless]

@@SuperDerek Wow a developer that stuck to pc for a while. That’s fascinating. Oh yeah, I know the feeling. Characters you end up loving so much and wanna see their story go on. Sounds like a interesting series. Thanks for the reply Derek! Great vids as always.

[@Fast_Travel_Gamer]

I'll happily watch this in 3 years when I'm finally caught up on the series! Until then, happy gaming!

[@ramichaelreviews]

Thanks for this fun review - I've never played any Trails games, but I'm excited to get to the ones I have access to when I can!

[@Eagleknight815]

How I finished my first arc and honestly, the real hook to get me to play Sky, Zero and now Azure. Can't wait to see how it comes together now after learning the backstory.

[@SuperPowerPainter]

Another SDRPG episode? Heck yes 🔥

[@BartolisHideoutGaming]

Shame I can’t watch the whole video! I have both games but waiting to finish Tales of Berseria and Jedi Survivor first! Hoping I can start by next month. Love your videos man! You’re an inspiration 🙏

[@CrimRui]

Cold Steel 2 is super amazing. Loved the story moments and epic showdowns with adversaries. Don't know why a lot of people don't like it. Great pacing.

[@billyblack6381]

I really enjoyed the Cold Steel games. Thanks for the great video Derek.

[@SuperSupersoda]

If you want to know what's going on with this plot and where it's all headed, do the hidden new game+ Black Records side-quest. With this game comes the end of the Eastern Erebonia arc, Cold Steel 3 is the start of the western Erebonia arc. Train enthusiasts who were disappointed with Cold Steel 2, don't fret, my man Pablo has got you covered in Cold Steel 3.

[@xeartnexus3020]

Derek my man, I've been waiting for this review for ages now. Since the dark ages before the orbal revolution. ❤ trails is the king of turn based and world building. It's my rpg series of the decade. Quality

[@dragonmaster1500]

I've noticed that there seems to be a lot of similar story beats that CS2 actually shares with Sky Second Chapter. I'm all for it.

[@whitebair]

I'm glad to see this series receiving so much love. This has been the series I've been dying to play since the 2000s. There are a lot of people saying that the JRPG series is dead, but I don't think they are looking in the right place. Thank you for making videos on this beloved series, and I'm feeling a bit sad that Trails month is over.🥲

[@fattiger6957]

Now's a great time to play it since every single game in the series (all 10!) have been official translated and are legally available on modern systems. 7 on PS4/5. 5 on Switch. And all 10 on PC.

[@whitebair]

I would even buy a Neo-Geo for this series, that's how great it is. LOL!😁

[@xcvwarmane5916]

Most consider ToCS 4 to be the best part but I think ToCS 2 just is the best game out of the Erebonia arc. Played through it thrice.

[@thecouchpotato88]

Great video Derek. As a person who hasn't played a trails game before, which one should i play first?

[@Painmaster212]

The simple answer is to just play them by release order so the 3 Sky games, then the two Crossbell games and then move onto the Cold Steel games.

[@SuperDerek]

Great question, I actually made a video about this not too long ago. Release order is ideal, but if that's not realistic for you my video should be able to help give a note nuanced answer. :)

[@fattiger6957]

The whole series is at 10 games, so it is pretty daunting. To get the full experience, start at the beginning with Trails in the Sky. But I think Cold Steel 1 is a good jumping on point since you're starting with basically a whole new cast.

[@thecouchpotato88]

@@fattiger6957 yeah Derek mentioned it's around 60 hours to beat, so it's really daunting

[@fattiger6957]

@@thecouchpotato88 To me, only the first Cold Steel was 60 hours. The 2nd one was 80 hours and the latter two were 100+. I'm currently at 50 hours in Trails into Reverie and it doesn't even feel halfway. They are super long games. But they don't drag for me like most rpgs.

[@noneofyourbusiness4616]

I've played all the games up to this one, then got burned out when trying to play Cold Steel 3 about a year ago. Maybe this will refresh my memory so I can get back on the horse. Thanks!

[@RikusonOne]

Cold Steel 2 is unrepresented when though it brought a lot of things people even after this game love. Debuting characters like Altina and McBurn got example. And don't even get me started on the divertissement, which was the a nice small taste of what this series really wants to execute and does in later games. CS2 is peak and i know over time when we are really far away from the franchise when it's done it will age very well when looked back in hindsight by the people who didn't appreciate it.

[@Mintcar923]

It’s my favorite Vita game! Just out of curiosity I started a new game plus the other day & my PSV mysteriously dies.. Blue light of death.. Thankfully I have the ps4 remasters to fall back on

[@JuanSilva-tl5mj]

The into feels like a new gundam movie

[@S_Hyde]

Was a crap week but at least there's a new game collection that reminds me of a great game.

[@acerola3576]

yoooo where did you get that Red Moon Rose physical? is it custom-made?

[@SuperDerek]

Yeah it's custom :)

[@acerola3576]

@@SuperDerek huge W. i’m a huge proponent of collecting my books with hardcover so i’ve been planning to do the same myself for all the major ones a while now. carnelia, RMR and 3&9 are def the favs fosho🫡 thanks for reminding me!

[@redstratus97]

Hey you didn’t do the point to yourself thumb move you used to do when you said “game collection”. I missed that.

[@Johnnybox81]

Are we ever going to get a western version for switch (and Tocs1)?

[@Painmaster212]

That's up to Xseed as they hold the licensing rights to the first two Cold Steel games.

[@fattiger6957]

@@Painmaster212 I wonder if there was some kinda of falling out between XSeed and Falcom when NISA became publisher from Cold Steel 3 onwards. It really doesn't make sense why they wouldn't want to localize the switch version considering the translation is already done.

[@Painmaster212]

@@fattiger6957 Well I'm sure if you put years into a franchise and then have it taken from you and given to another company, I'd be kinda salty too. They least did give us a PS4 version of CS I&II.

[@fattiger6957]

@@Painmaster212 I kinda understand that, but they are leaving money on the table by not doing the Switch version. They could make a pretty penny on it.

[@Gameramstart123]

Are ypu making a Review about the 3rd and 4 rd Game to?

[@SuperDerek]

Cold Steel 3 review comes out Friday :)

[@sethhale235]

I'm in the minority on this one. CS2 is my favorite CS game. I don't like it as much as Azure or Sky 3rd but it's so good. The reveals. How OP you can make your main party. The Divertissement. All of it is top tier Trails.

[@PeteOliva]

I love this game sooooo much! But to me, it's TRULY Trails of Cold Steel 1, Part 2. But that's not a knock. I guess to me that's just what seems to draw it less attention as an individual game.

[@boltinabottle6307]

Cold Steel 1(/2) - Become the foundation of the world! (after we figure out who the actual allies and villains are) Cold Steel 2 (3/4) - Leverage that foundation for a brighter tomorrow! (As long as we don't die)

[@Falvern57]

Im not sure how true it is, but Ive heard it said that in the initial concept Cold Steel 1 & 2 were intended to be a single game.

[@SuperDerek]

I've heard the same about Tails in the Sky 1 and 2, actually. 🤔

[@RaifSeverence]

Cold steel 3 and 4 is also the same as 1 and 2; one game that grew too large and had to be split.

[@fahdbourara222]

It's the best game ever.

[@RaifSeverence]

That bug is something Falcom will have to patch. Unless they did and Xseed is just being lazy with its implementation.

[@jmporkbob]

To me, the end of the finale and the divertissment carried this game hard. The whole rest of it was the most "this went exactly like I expected it to" of any Trails game I ever played.

[@blackfistxu7953]

👍🏾👍🏾🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@elena_m19]

You always talk JRPG's what about western games? Baldur's Gate, Planescape Torment , South Park or Battle Chasers?

[@SuperDerek]

Battle Chasers might be in the cards some day. I primarily love the Japanese stuff, but I have also reviewed a few Bethesda games too, e.g. Elder Scrolls, Fallout

[@adelin081]

I liked cold steel 2 more than 3. CS3 feels like CS1 again, but longer.

[@treebush]

theyre KnightMares not Gundams, like literally copy and paste of KnightMares from CG

[@Groffili]

I love the game, I love the world, I love the mechanics, I (mostly) love the characters... and I can live with the graphics. There's just two things related to the story that have me rate this two-parter of CS1 and 2 as my least favorite in the whole Trails series. First is the onesided, irrational and obsessed drive of Class 7 to absolve the terrorists from any responsibility. If you look beyond the part where the heroes managed to thwart their plans, this is a group that attempted mass murder, the start of a continental war, abduction and blackmail. All for petty personal grievances. I don't know if this is based on some part of Japanese culture, but I just can't stomach it. Second, a bit more obscure but much worse in term of story building: Class 7 in itself makes no sense. There is no real in-world reason for it to exist, like the Bracer Guild or the SSS in the previous Trail games. It exists for the sole reason of getting the cast of the game together to be the heroes. It removes the foundation for the whole great story that follows... and that reduces the enjoyment for me personally greatly. Perhaps I'm just to critical. It's still a fantastic game.

[@justsomebody-1665]

I liked Cold Steel 2 better than 1 or 3. Is that really uncommon?

[@RainEls]

I like CS2, but the plot is kinda meh. Intro is good, but after that the first half of the game is just boring. The airship section is cool, then some random stuff happened. Then starting from operation "take back" till the end of the game is good again. Character writing is good as always tho. That said, I quite like playing it. Esp the final dungeon with Vita and Sharon. Also CS2 OP is easily THE best one in the series.

[@yojimbo26]

CS:II is great till the last third. Then it becomes a grind fest and frankly boring once you've realize that you're fighting the same bosses over and over with exactly the same results. The pacing is a all off too, worst than any of the other entries. I got burned out by the time of the Infernal Castle and it didn't help there was nothing else to do but fight monsters and yes fight the same bosses with the same results. Which is a shame because the of the three end boss battles (the one in Crossbell doesn't really add anything to me) are pretty good and worthwhile. And the game before the Infernal Castle is really good. All in all CS:III and even the somewhat poorly paced CS:IV are better games, while CS:I holds a special place for me and I think a lot of people who started with Erebonia instead of Crossbell and Liberl.

[@RealRamaladni]

Cold Steel is a spin-off that stems from arguably the worst arc in Trails in the Sky, where Estelle spends some time at the school. They decided to make a game series based on that and this was the result. My main criticism is that the game is too juvenile - forgiving the antagonist for their misdeeds and the game coping out of having them account to anything or atone. In addition, the terrorist group is also forgiven, passing the message that it's okay to commit mass murder as long as you have a tragic backstory. The game once again proves to be juvenile because it seems only high school students can help save the world, and nearly every adult is useless, save the rare exception. Gameplay-wise, even on Nightmare mode, there's plenty of abusive mechanics like Delay stacking... or just simply the enemies not matching up to your power level. You can try alternate strategies, but it's really simple to obliterate even late game enemies in seconds. The early game is fun, as is winning supposedly "unwinnable" story battles. It's nonetheless fun to interact with the expanse worldbuilding and all the politics systems. Going to visit your friends' family members and home regions is a really caring touch. There's all of these awesome ideas, and the time and space to explore them. The alineating factor might be that only most diehard fans would be willing to invest 100+ hours on a JRPG, let alone one that depends on having played the first game. I'll likely play the following games. I can separate the aspects I really dislike to the ones I love about CS, and it'll always remain a polarizing game (series) for me. I felt I had to share these thoughts since I always hear people raving on about the game without acknowledging these flaws. I do feel bad about lambasting it though, because in the end, it's a niche game and not many people will play it.

[@agent42q]

I think Cold Steel 2 is stronger than 1 or 3, but I don't like high school narratives.

[@dangox3370]

Trails 1 was immaculate but the sequel is chock full of tedious filler. It's actually offensive how bad the first half of it is. Falcom should be ashamed of themselves for milking their loyal fanbase this way but it's kinda their MO. Trails 2 should have been half price and minus all the garbage content.