LogFAQs > #897104878

13. Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter (NFUN)


I'm actually in the middle of replaying this game right now! When it comes to Board 8 Flavors of the Month, I tend to be initially resistant, especially when you have pockets of the fanbase who try to make you play it because it's better than whatever thing you like is, which is a surefire way to make sure I don't play something for a long time (like Xenoblade). Trails in the Sky has its share of those people, too, but it's also got some pretty chill fans, so I decided to give it a shot (although I managed to do it without telling Board 8 about it somehow, unlike everyone else). Most of the time, I appreciate the game when I finally do relent, but I value my stubbornness too much to give it up! Anyway, I've already talked at length about Trails in general in the First Chapter writeup, so I won't repeat myself here.

Second Chapter is basically the first game, just bigger and better. All the same party members return (with a few temporary guests thrown in for good measure from time to time), but now they have access to stronger Arts and Crafts (not to be confused with the hobby of making stuff with your own hands). You can even do Craft Chains now, where multiple party members attack at the same time. Perhaps the best thing is the fact that nearly all of the party members join permanently fairly early on, so you can have your party of choice or rotate them around instead of them coming and going as the plot demanded it, like it was in First Chapter. The game still takes place in Liberl and you'll spend the first half or so of the game going back to the same towns you visited in the first game, but the tone of the game is more serious and the scale of the plot is bigger. You're not just a couple of newbies going around the country foiling local schemes, but now you're veterans who are trying to stop a secret society from gaining access to a potentially world-altering power. You'll get to visit a bunch of new locations in the second half of the game, too, so it's not a simple retread in that regard.

As I stated, Second Chapter takes itself more seriously than the first game does. The humor still manifests itself from time to time, but it's less frequent. The focus of this game is on Estelle's unwavering determination to protect and save what's most important to her, and it's mesmerizing to watch. The game is full of emotionally powerful moments (and not just from Estelle), which I'll gladly exchange for a little less humor. The end of chapter 6 in particular is a top tier video game moment for me. I think the way they paced the first two Trails in the Sky games was magnificent. They slowly rope you in with a lighthearted tale and let you get attached to the characters before plunging them into a massive "save the world" adventure, and at that point, you're too invested to back out. Second Chapter has a strong ending, too, which is probably why I haven't been in any hurry to continue the series. I'll get there eventually, but First and Second Chapter combine for a very satisfying experience.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite Trails game?

Rankings for this one were all over the place, but LotM gets an exact hit!
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