The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak 2 Review

ign.com:

The concept of a multiverse is one that often seems to fit video games very naturally. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart and Bioshock Infinite both took good advantage of it to open their stories up to new possibilities, for example, but The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak 2 has hopped on the multiverse train with some mixed results. At times, its story doesn’t seem to go anywhere for hours on end, but it has some of the best character development the series has ever seen in exchange for that momentum. Daybreak 2 also introduces meaningful improvements to its hybrid action/turn-based combat, making it more engaging than ever before. The outcome is an RPG with pacing struggles, but still manages to be a good sequel in an already great series.

Daybreak 2 takes place shortly after the events of the previous game, following your mercenary hero Van Akride and his friend Elaine as they encounter a mysterious but familiar-looking red monster. In an entertaining twist, that first encounter actually ends with both Van and Elaine dead, with Van’s assistant, Agnes, somehow rewinding time in an act of desperation to save them. It’s an explosive setup that introduces the timeline-hopping mechanic in an interesting way. But rather than making the most of a multiverse’s potential for effective and emotional storytelling like the excellent Zero Escape series, Daybreak 2 mostly uses it as a deus ex machina to let the party opt out of sticky situations.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is an exciting new start for the series. With a fresh cast of characters joined by a handful of familiar faces, it’s a welcoming point for potential new fans to jump in while also rewarding veteran players for returning. Daybreak’s updated hybrid battle system still has a few kinks to work out with its real-time elements, but enhanced movement options and other impressive tweaks make the turn-based aspects better than ever. Wrap that up in an engaging story full of political drama and