Happening mere months after the occasions of Trails by means of Dawn, its sequel — merely titled Trails by means of Dawn 2 right here within the west — typically seems like a character-driven epilogue slightly than a full-blown follow-up.
The primary Dawn informed a whole story; the sort of storyline that Falcom often splits throughout two video games. Positive, Van and the gang’s preliminary journey left numerous questions unanswered, however structurally, it was sturdy. It had a transparent starting, center, and finish, to the purpose the place it nearly felt like a standalone factor, with the saga’s broader storylines set to be addressed in later video games.
Dawn 2 isn’t a type of later video games. As an alternative of taking the overarching narrative and operating with it, it makes an attempt to construct upon plot factors unique to its predecessor — plot factors that, arguably, did not want to be introduced again into focus.
The story will inevitably disappoint some followers. As alluded, Dawn 2 leans on its giant forged of characters, utilizing their growth to offset narrative beats that may appear both convoluted or repurposed. And to be truthful, a lot of the character growth is worthwhile and attention-grabbing.
To its profit, the sport splits its story between completely different teams of heroes — similar to in Trails into Reverie. This permits the plot to be unfurled from separate views, whereas additionally giving vital characters extra room to correctly categorical themselves.
If you are okay with Dawn 2’s lack of serious, general narrative development, then there’s really lots to love about its extra private threads. In that sense, the sequel finally ends up being an excellent companion piece to the unique Dawn — however once more, your expectations must be saved in examine.
And that additionally applies to the reuse of… effectively, nearly every part from the primary sport. Each visually and mechanically, Dawn 2 may fairly simply be mistaken for its predecessor. Exterior of some admittedly enormous new environments, the sequel is very happy to recycle as a lot stuff because it probably can.
Falcom developed Dawn 2 in a reasonably brief house of time — and it exhibits. To be clear, this is not some low cost cash-in that might have been DLC, however the sport does wrestle to face by itself advantage at instances — like its solely actual function is to bridge the hole between Dawn and Kai no Kiseki.
Nonetheless, it is exhausting to not take pleasure in Falcom’s sometimes partaking characters and the detailed world constructing that surrounds them. The title’s padded storytelling could grate every so often, however its extra dramatic moments retain their affect due to the forged’s general enchantment.
Certainly, protagonist Van Arkride stays one of many developer’s best-realised leads, and his closest companions act as implausible foils. Plus, it helps that a lot of Dawn’s secondary characters are welcomed into the Arkride Options fold. Some develop into key social gathering members for a number of chapters at a time, whereas others come and go — however all of them deliver new and entertaining dynamics to the present group.
As you possibly can in all probability inform, we’re slightly torn on Dawn 2’s storytelling, however there’s one specific plot system that — 40 or 50 hours in — actually began to check our persistence. With out spoiling something particular, there is a MacGuffin that wears out its welcome lengthy earlier than the credit roll.
At first, it presents one thing new to Trails — a singular twist on Falcom’s traditional narrative design. However over the course of the journey, it devolves into being an extremely predictable, extremely handy story staple that comes dangerously near cheapening the expertise.
Fortunately, this particular plot system would not fairly diminish what Dawn 2 will get proper — it is simply one thing that may (and possibly will) frustrate those that already need extra from the collection’ overarching themes.
It might be right down to the truth that the sequel would not should spend tens of hours introducing a model new forged, however we predict Dawn 2 strikes a greater gameplay stability than the earlier instalment. There are extra dungeons and higher boss battles, whereas aspect quests, usually talking, supply a higher diploma of participant enter and interplay.
There are just a few minigames to check out as effectively, which have been noticeably absent from the primary Dawn. Fishing returns (hurrah!), there is a hacking exercise the place you are taking management of a digital assemble and transfer by means of maze-like ranges so as to open particular treasure chests, and there is even one-on-one basketball.
None of those minigames are particularly in-depth or, to be sincere, all that rewarding — however they assist break issues up while you’re between cutscenes and fight, and Trails simply feels proper when there are enjoyable little distractions available right here and there.
Talking of fight, there’s hundreds of it in Dawn 2 — largely due to the Marchen Garten, a digital dungeon that steadily expands as you progress by means of the principle story. One other Reverie-inspired addition, the Garten helps you to collect a celebration of your selecting and grind to your coronary heart’s content material, unlocking randomised rewards and character cosmetics as you go.
Repetitive environments reduce the Garten’s pull considerably, however very like the aforementioned minigames, it makes for a good distraction — particularly should you take pleasure in Dawn 2’s fight, and taking part in round with character builds.
The fight system itself stays the identical: an preliminary, action-based escalation adopted by turn-based battling. The motion half remains to be fairly primary, however now you can swap between social gathering members after a profitable dodge, leading to highly effective counterattacks. There’s only a bit extra aptitude to it.
In the meantime, the satisfyingly tactile, turn-based meat of fight has been tweaked and refined. Numerous character talents have been rebalanced, abusable mechanics have been toned down, and efficient additions like workforce assaults and dual-element magic arts deliver new techniques to the desk.
However as teased, it is the larger, extra vital encounters that stand out. Dawn 2’s story won’t hit as exhausting because it ought to, however Falcom pulls out all of the stops with sequenced boss fights and spiralling stakes. Add some banging battle themes to the combo and that is typically Trails fight at its most intense and interesting.
