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Product information

Publication Date

September 6, 2016

Computer Platform

PlayStation 3

ASIN

B01D014MGS

Release date

September 6, 2016

Customer Reviews

4.3 142 ratings

4.3 out of 5 stars

Best Sellers Rank

#74,837 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
#1,447 in PlayStation 3 Games

Product Dimensions

0.6 x 5.4 x 6.8 inches; 3.2 ounces

Type of item

Video Game

Rated

Teen

Item model number

81696

Is Discontinued By Manufacturer

No

Item Weight

3.2 ounces

Manufacturer

Xseed

Date First Available

March 14, 2016

Warranty & Support

Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please click here

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Product Description

Trails of Cold Steel II picks up one month after the decisive collision which changed the fate of the entire nation of Erebonia. The speedy, tactical turn-based combat with the newly-developed “ARCUS” system returns with all the bells and whistles players fondly remember together with a new Overdrive mode, new means of transportation both across the land and sky, new allies, new dangers, and a renewed sense of hope as Rean tirelessly works to right the wrongs that have led the country to disarray.

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

142 global ratings

2 star

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1 star

10%

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Customers say

Customers like the story, quality, and challenging gameplay of the video game. They mention that it's a great game, with an intricate combat system. They also appreciate the characters and the music.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

28 customers mention28 positive0 negative

Customers find the story and gameplay great, satisfying, and fun. They also say the game is an amazing series with challenging bosses. Overall, customers describe it as one of the truly great JRPGs with an enjoyable story and many details.

"...There's certainly intricacy to the battle system, which is refined and polished; finding ways to plan out the right moves to delay/progress your..." Read more

"...Lots of good story, lots of background, lots of fighting & leveling up(what an RPG should have in it defaulto), lots of tough monsters & bosses,..." Read more

"...That said, I also like the Gameplay...." Read more

"...But play it. Trails is the best RPG series possibly ever. The Trails in the Sky subseries is also good, actually even better! Out on Steam and PSP...." Read more

22 customers mention20 positive2 negative

Customers find the quality of the game fantastic, nice, and beautiful. They also say it looks and plays great, and is one of the best JRPG series in a long time. Customers also say the game expands on the first game both graphically and in gameplay. They describe it as a well-put together open world turn base JRP.

"...There's certainly intricacy to the battle system, which is refined and polished; finding ways to plan out the right moves to delay/progress your..." Read more

"...But a long game it is! To me, it was never dull, even when farming...." Read more

"...It also has giant robots, attractive girls, attractive guys, um. Cats. It has cats. Talking cats. An entire cat dictionary (in Trails in the Sky)...." Read more

"...Much like the first, this is an absolute treasure. Probably #1 for me in JRPG's genre, definitely in my top 5 of games all time...." Read more

9 customers mention9 positive0 negative

Customers find the gameplay challenging. They appreciate the intricate combat system, and mention the divine knight battles were improved. They also appreciate the turn-based battle system and challenging bosses.

"...newer genre innovations, the game delivers a pretty fun and intricate combat system and an extremely compelling story...." Read more

"...& leveling up(what an RPG should have in it defaulto), lots of tough monsters & bosses, lots of beautiful music, lots of items, weapons, equipment...." Read more

"...For me I just love the fact there's no landmine style random battles unlike some old JRPGs that had a strong story but bogged down by its frequent..." Read more

"...The battle system is similar to the first, turn based, and fairly in-depth when you start mix and matching Master Quartz and regular Quartz towards..." Read more

9 customers mention9 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters amazing, interesting, and love that they can immerse themselves in the characters as they get to know them better. They also say the voice acting is excellent.

"...I really love that you can immerse yourself in the characters as you get to know them better, the things that drive them, their hopes and dreams,..." Read more

"...If you like interesting, lovable characters with witty, colorful dialogue full of heart, it's got that...." Read more

"...The voice acting is excellent, and all the characters you loved before will still charm their way into your heart...." Read more

"...Story takes on a more serious tune, characters are still amazing including some of the villains like McBurn, Duvalie & Duke Cayenne...." Read more

5 customers mention5 positive0 negative

Customers find the music in the video game phenomenal.

"...lots of tough monsters & bosses, lots of beautiful music, lots of items, weapons, equipment...." Read more

"...Music is phenomenal, I think music is a very underrated aspect of games, especially RPGs. Music adds a lot to your immersion...." Read more

"...Music is even better.Graphics slightly improved...." Read more

"...Good music, good gameplay as well a very good story... Makes this a must buy for JRPG fans.:Note:..." Read more

4 customers mention4 positive0 negative

Customers find the game fairly in-depth, with an attention to detail and a distinct desire to wrap up loose plot ends. They also mention that it creates a very immersive world.

"...An attention to detail and a very distinct desire to wrap up loose plot ends make pursuing even the side quests an adventure, but there is some..." Read more

"...Lots of good story, lots of background, lots of fighting & leveling up(what an RPG should have in it defaulto), lots of tough monsters & bosses,..." Read more

"...The battle system is similar to the first, turn based, and fairly in-depth when you start mix and matching Master Quartz and regular Quartz towards..." Read more

"...series before another but small references are made and it creates a very immersive world" Read more

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Stephen F.

Fantastic game that reminds me of classic JRPGs

Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2016

Platform For Display: PlayStation 3Verified Purchase

Trails of Cold Steel II is one of those games that really reminds me why I've always been such a huge (J)RPG fan. Bringing together the best aspects of the "old-school" RPG with newer genre innovations, the game delivers a pretty fun and intricate combat system and an extremely compelling story. Do note that if you haven't played the first game in the series, this one won't make a lot of sense and you won't be invested in the characters; the tale picks up one month after the cliffhanger ending of Trails of Cold Steel.

If you played Trails of Cold Steel, nothing about the combat will particularly surprise or dazzle you, but it's fun to revisit nonetheless. It's a turn-based system in the ways of old, which will probably turn some gamers off immediately - but don't let it! There's certainly intricacy to the battle system, which is refined and polished; finding ways to plan out the right moves to delay/progress your turn is critical to beat some of the more difficult bosses, and learning how to unbalance enemies and optimize various weapon/character combos is similarly important. It's not always an easy game, and there's some grinding, but you know and expect this if you played the first game.

The story is where this (and the genre) really shines. There's a shift, for sure, to a decidedly darker tone than that of the first game, but the discussion of major issues is really solid and the writing is excellent. Class conflict, filial piety, the horror of war, and taking ownership of our actions are several major themes, with a story that is borderline literary at times. I really love that you can immerse yourself in the characters as you get to know them better, the things that drive them, their hopes and dreams, strengths and weaknesses; you just can't get this from any other genre. That said, there is certainly a degree of cliche in the character development and the story takes a good 10 hours (give or take depending on how you play) to really take off. This should be obvious, but if you didn't like the characters when you played the first game, you probably won't like them here, either.

I guess, if I think about it, the same things that were good about Trails of Cold Steel are good about this game, and the same minor flaws are still intact, too. We've seen what's going on in this game before, and not just in the previous entry; despite this, it still feels like a fresh experience. An attention to detail and a very distinct desire to wrap up loose plot ends make pursuing even the side quests an adventure, but there is some amount of grind and linearity to it all. Similarly, some complaint has been lodged against the fairly bland dungeon design and overly simple puzzles; while I don't necessarily agree 100%, it is a valid point, especially if you look at extremely modern RPGs that have done away with such genre standards.

Despite these minor issues, I really like the game and have enjoyed my playthrough thus far. I can't recommend it as an entry point to the series, but getting Trails of Cold Steel, and then this title, will set you up for a real treat, and they're not even that expensive! All in all, an excellent title and a shining light for this niche genre on the PS3.

16 people found this helpful

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Jimmy C. Smith

This is one of the truly great JRPG's. An enjoyable story with many

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2017

Platform For Display: PlayStation 3Verified Purchase

This is one of the truly great JRPG's. An enjoyable story with many, many details. Each character is told in such a way that you end up thinking ALL of them are your favorites! The only thing(and it's minor) that I would have preferred is to have been able to do more of the quests earlier in the game. But a long game it is! To me, it was never dull, even when farming. I especially liked the Lost Arts you could obtain after fighting about 5 Cryptoids-a very tough monster-and beating them. Just go all out, or mix it up with physical power & Arts, or any way you want to. The game does just that-lets you customize each of your party members with the orbment menu. I'm glad the makers brought over the battle system from the 1st game and just plain enhanced everything about it into the 2nd game. Lots of good story, lots of background, lots of fighting & leveling up(what an RPG should have in it defaulto), lots of tough monsters & bosses, lots of beautiful music, lots of items, weapons, equipment. And just when you think you beat it-----well, you'll find out! To the makers of this game: Had I known what a fantastic adventure I was in for I would have paid $100 for this game. It is that much fun! Thank you very much. Bring on the 3rd game and DOUBLE OR TRIPLE the quests!

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Fimbulwinter

Play Cold Steel 1 first because...

Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2016

Platform For Display: PlayStation 3Verified Purchase

Cold Steel 2 continues the story of Trails of Cold Steel.

I play the series for its story, because no other Japanese RPG these days can scratch that itch for a good story set within an immersive world. Most focus on flashy combat and fancy graphics or revolve around an addictive grind such as capturing/crafting/looting, not that there's anything wrong with that, but sometimes I want to sit down and enjoy an Japanese RPG without feeling like its story elements completely suck compared to Western titles like Witcher 3/Mass Effect etc.

That said, I also like the Gameplay. For me I just love the fact there's no landmine style random battles unlike some old JRPGs that had a strong story but bogged down by its frequent encounters. Actually, I would say Trails series is very similar to the classic Suikoden series, minus the annoying random battles. In this game you see a monster, you can sneak by it. You just have to make sure you actually succeed in sneaking by or you will get back attacked and sometimes that can actually spell instant game over, kinda like Persona 3/4...

Music is phenomenal, I think music is a very underrated aspect of games, especially RPGs. Music adds a lot to your immersion. Falcom has mastered this aspect in all of their games.

The only bad I can think of is the graphics and animation, which isn't BAD but I can see why people expect more since it's 2016.

Give this series a try if you value story...especially worldbuilding, characters, etc. I wouldn't say the plot moves fast so the series definitely isn't for people who plays games just to find out the ending, it's really for people who wants to immerse themselves and get sucked up into an epic.

7 people found this helpful

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Cirehida

obra maestra

Reviewed in Mexico on August 3, 2017

Platform For Display: PlayStation 3Verified Purchase

the legend of heroes trails of cold steel continua la saga de "Legend of Heroes" vista desde el punto del enemigo, un juego completísimo y de gran calidad, tanto el sistema de combate como los gráficos y la historia son excelentes. una gema que lamentablemente paso desapercibida por muchos pero si gustan de los jrpg seguro los enganchara desde el inicio, totalmente recomendado!

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Krista Hubert

Long review because this is possibly my favourite game ever.

Reviewed in Canada on April 15, 2017

Platform For Display: PlayStation 3Verified Purchase

Just quickly, because truthfully I play this game for the story and not for the battles or other aspects of gameplay: I love how easy the Easy mode is and how hard the Nightmare mode is...you can really choose your poison, here, whether you want to concentrate on the story or be challenged in battle. Also, I actually kind of like fighting in the Cold Steel games...and even more in CSII than in the first one, because the crafts are better and the Overdrive system worked very well, for me. I got pretty good at tailoring quartz in the ARCUS units to give my characters the stats they needed to fight the way I wanted them to. And even so, Nightmare is so challenging (for me) that I don't want to tackle it until my third playthrough when the only fights I'll need to do are the boss fights.

To me this is not a 'sequel' to Cold Steel, but its direct continuation. It certainly was not a disappointment. In fact, I stopped playing this for about half a year. I suppose that sounds like a bad thing, but...the reason I stopped playing is because I DID NOT WANT TO FINISH THE GAME. I didn't want to see it end, as I suspected that for good or ill, finishing this game would mean 'Class VII' would reach its end...and I was dreading that.

Finally plucked up the heart to get through the Infernal Castle and the remainder of the game, and...well, I didn't cry when I played Journey. (I was called heartless for that.) Basically all the games that people claim to have cried over, I'm left largely unmoved.

Not so for Cold Steel II. My face was all hot and sticky by the time the 'start new game' screen finally popped up, because I can just never be ready for the conclusion of the most intensely 'friendship is all' game I've ever played. (I never cry over romances, but the friendship stuff...ouch...it's like a gorilla is tugging on the old heartstrings.) These kids all found such a good place in the world, where no matter their differences or their faults, they've got people around them who love them and will go through any trial alongside them. I don't even know whether I should say that CSII had a happy ending or a sad one. *I* was very sad because it was over, even though I knew from the very start that the end had to come, but...

I now desperately want Cold Steel III and have all ten fingers (and toes) crossed that it will come to North America, but I'm hesitant, too. It hasn't been released in Japan yet, so I don't know, but...I'm very tentative about finding out where everyone ends up and if they're still as close as before, and just generally wondering how things go after the whole 'Thors' portion of their lives has come to its natural conclusion. I want to see everyone back again in CSIII and I have no idea if that will happen or not. I am both eager for it, and dreading it.

I think that shows just how much I loved the game, though, because I've become stupidly, painfully invested in these characters. CSI and II may be my favourite game ever. This story may even have edged out Xenoblade Chronicles, for me, though that was also so good of a story that it's pretty hard to judge. I got more warm fuzzies from the Cold Steel games, though, for sure. I will play both games many times. Made my bro-in-law and my sis play the games, too, and they also really loved them. I hope you will, too, if you decide to try it. :)

One person found this helpful

Cliente de Amazon

De lo mejor en JRPG para ps3

Reviewed in Mexico on October 26, 2016

Platform For Display: PlayStation 3Verified Purchase

No tenía expectativas de esta saga pero fue muy grande mi sorpresa al empezar a jugarlo. El gameplay es excelente, las batallas son de lo mejor y llega un punto donde la personalización del equipo y habilidades tiene bastante libertad con lo cual se crean personajes bastante poderosos. Lo estoy jugando en díficil.

El único punto negativo es que algunas partes del juego llegan a ser bastante lentas.

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tim

Amazing game! If you liked the first one you ...

Reviewed in Canada on October 4, 2016

Platform For Display: PlayStation 3Verified Purchase

Amazing game! If you liked the first one you will most definitely like this one as well. It's a continuation of the same story. The battle system is pretty much the exact same except for a couple of minor changes. The graphics and phenomenal audio are the same. The storyline is what makes this much different than the first game. The first game have a lot more emphasis on character development and this game has a lot more emphasis on storyline development. Also the first game was very linear, where you go from point a to point b right from the beginning to the end of the game, but this one is a lot more open and you eventually get control of an airship and you can go anywhere. Much like the first one the normal difficulty is very easy, so if you are a turn-based RPG veteran who likes a little bit of a challenge turn the difficulty up to hard otherwise you will breeze right through everything and just get to enjoy the fantastic storyline instead of gameplay.

One person found this helpful

riggivannia

Excelente juego

Reviewed in Mexico on June 15, 2017

Platform For Display: PlayStation 3Verified Purchase

Como los buenos jrpgs del ps2 ... desafortunadamente también con sus gráficos pero bueno es lo de menos si lees esto sin haber jugado el 1 pues juégalo, es muy similar y si ya jugaste el 1 pues no sé por qué lees reviews ya sabes cómo es :)

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The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II - PlayStation 3

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