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Bigger and (Mostly) Better
A direct sequel to the cult JRPG favorite Trails in the Sky FC (First Chapter), Trails in the Sky SC (Second Chapter) is an enormous follow-up. From characters, to dialogue, to locations, everything about SC is expanded greatly from the first game, and mostly better for it. The gameplay hasn’t changed much (or the graphics), but if you loved the well-written story and character interactions that hooked fans in FC, there’s so much more of it to enjoy here in SC — just be warned that there’s also quite a lot of tedious and repetitive adventuring sprinkled throughout the massive 60+ hours of playtime.
Before we dive into the actual review of the game’s epic nine chapter journey, I’d like to briefly touch on why people should play the Trails in the Sky games at all — they’re definitely not for everyone. There’s so much dialogue that it can feel like you’re just reading a visual novel, clicking the “Next” button for what seems like forever. The gameplay is also really archaic (but enjoyable nonetheless), as these are RPG battle systems from the early 2000’s. It’s mostly just standard turn-based combat with a few twists thrown in, like a grid-based AOE, team-up combo attacks, and turn interrupts via S-Craft super attacks.
The orbal arts system (i.e. magic) is pretty unique though, as it’s designed like a puzzle with colors and lines that require matching to eke out the best spells. It can get pretty tedious, but it certainly allows for a lot of customization and rewards thoughtful setup and planning.
But the magic of this RPG series lies in its lore and characters. There are no less than seven games in the Trails series so far (a.k.a. Kiseki series in Japan), and this game only serves to hint at the vast depth of political conspiracies and ancient legends there are left to uncover. What’s most impressive is that almost every detail is addressed or has a logical path within the game’s world. Something that seems inconsequential at first can later become the linchpin of a larger plot line. Heck, even a lowly mayor’s steward that you barely remember suddenly pops up later to become a recurring “rivalry” of sorts.
You might get attached to at least a few of the many NPCs.
As for the characters, besides the very fleshed out cast of playable protagonists, you’ll likely find yourself getting attached to at least a few of the many NPCs living around the country of Liberl. Almost everyone actually has a name instead of simply being “Villager A”, and they actually live their own lives; they travel, have jobs, and pursue relationships, which all change based on in-game events. They’ll remember you and what you did for them, and it’s easy to feel like you’re actually affecting their lives for the better — or worse, if you fail to help them properly.
And of course, the character journeys of the very robust main cast are all extremely satisfying. They don’t just try to blindly “save the world”, but actually react to events based on their own interpretations of what’s right. Almost every event dialogue changes based on who’s with you at the time, and that’s an incredible thing to experience; the characters feel alive, and don’t simply exist as a trope, e.g. the “hot-headed sword fighter” or “sexy mage”. Yes, it can have a bit of anime-flavored cheesiness at times, but these characters have stuck around with me for years since first playing FC — which is more than I can say for a lot of other JRPGs that have come and gone since.
Chapters 0-4 Review
If you’ve played Trails in the Sky FC, then these first few chapters will feel very familiar. The gameplay keeps a constant rhythm of “go to region”, explore surroundings for suspicious activities, enter new hidden area, and fight a unique boss (who always taunts and escapes). Repeat for each chapter. It’s enjoyable, steady gameplay with just enough plot development and fun character interactions to keep you advancing to each area. But the caveat is, you have to already be invested in chasing down the Ouroboros society which was unveiled at the end of FC; without that, the gameplay feels pretty cut-and-paste.
The Enforcers create unique rivalries that last until the end of the game.
The chapter bosses, Ouroboros’ Enforcers, each seem to fit the mold of an anime trope, but they’re silly/cool/intimidating characters nonetheless. What’s important is that they add more personalities for the already full cast to bounce off of, which elevates them beyond the typical order-following henchmen. In fact, each Enforcer becomes closely tied with a member of your party, which creates unique rivalries that last until the end of the game.
Chapters 5-6 Review
Here’s where things get really exciting. There are two major events that happen here: a dragon capture operation and an infiltration mission. There’s finally some extra variety in locales, which is especially welcome if you’ve played FC and have already walked Liberl’s regions to death. The cutscenes, plot revelations, and setups for even grander events to come make these two chapters really engaging. If the previous chapters felt like you were being lightly pulled along, these make you feel like you’re being pushed at max speed through set piece after set piece.
Chapter 7 Review
Unfortunately, the momentum of the previous chapters couldn’t be maintained forever. What follows in this chapter is a lot of boring, tedious trudging through recycled and recolored environments, just to fight a boss at the end (who of course taunts and escapes…again). Repeat this four times to end the chapter. There’s no payoff or sense of accomplishment — but at least there’s a lot of good gear to loot, which is frankly the only thing that kept me going through this chapter.
Chapter 8 Review
The pacing improves a little here when compared to the lackluster chapter before. But, there’s still too much tedious backtracking, with lots (seriously, a lot) of walking — though at least it makes sense given the game’s story development at this point, i.e. airships are unavailable.
This chapter mostly feels like filler content.
There are a couple of fun side quests that are well-designed with nice rewards, but mostly this chapter feels like filler content; fetch this, go there, talk to that person…much of what you’re asked to do feels uninspired. At least there’s some great bonus loot to collect in preparation for the final battle, and the last few story sequences of this chapter keep it from being too bland.
Chapter 9 Review
I might sound like a broken record by now, but it’s true: the finale is yet again full of more tedious navigation across similar-looking environments. There aren’t even any branching paths really, with a lot of long passageways and elevator platforms that shuttle you directly to the next checkpoint.
The final confrontations are certainly worth the effort of reaching them.
But what makes this final chapter great is what the Trails series does best: story and characters. There’s a wealth of information revealed about the ancient civilization and its history, Ouroboros’ goals, and each Enforcer’s personal motivations. The final confrontations are challenging, pushing your party’s skills to the limit (especially against a certain sword master). The dialogue really drives home the rivalries, camaraderie, and clashing ideologies between all of the characters; you might even want to replay the final fights several times with different characters just to see their reactions to each other. It might not be that exciting to get there, but the chapter’s final confrontations are certainly worth the effort.
It’s difficult to describe why Trails in the Sky SC is so much fun. I suppose it’s like trying to describe one of your favorite books to someone who’s never read it — it’s impossible to elaborate on all of the little things you love that make it work. But if you’re willing to take a chance at a lengthy, dated (gameplay- and graphics-wise), and often verbose JRPG, you may find yourself falling in love with the little things too.
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