Parents' Guide to The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II

Sometimes a story is just too grand in scale and scope to be told in one sitting, which can often lead to frustrating cliffhangers that leave fans dangling and wondering "What happens next?" Such was the case with the first entry in the Trails of Cold Steel saga, but now fans are able to finally get some answers and continue their adventure with the PlayStation 4 remastered re-release of The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II. This sequel picks up immediately after the cliffhanger of the previous game, which is great for fans but not so much for newcomers. Because so much of what happens in Trails of Cold Steel II is built off what happened before, playing through the first game feels like a requirement. There's so much going on and so many references to past events, jumping in here is like walking into a theatre halfway through the movie and understanding what's going on.

Gameplay in The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is just an extension of the first game, so fans will feel right at home. There's still a lot of pre-planning required before diving into combat, with players needing to make sure they've got the correct equipment and abilities active to take on specific threats. It's a "rock-paper-scissors" formula at its core, but with a lot of variants and options that can be difficult to keep track of without practice and patience. It requires a lot of strategic planning and a lot of trial and error, which could test the patience of some players, especially those unfamiliar with the series. Even so, it's a deep experience that stands strong on the foundation laid by the first game and feels genuinely rewarding in the end.