Well, that was a weird thing to sit through…
That’s a quote from one of Trails Through Daybreak 2’s many party members, who watched two characters completely derail the story to sort out their own personal family drama. It’s a quote that I found myself thinking about a lot as Daybreak 2 kept treading water, unsure of how to move forward and set up future events in a way that flowed naturally.
Daybreak 2 has you once again stepping into the shoes of Van Arkride, owner of Arkride Solutions and a professional solver of problems, no matter how morally gray they may be. After a serial killer takes on the likeness of Van’s Grendel, he sets out in an attempt to clear his name and uncover the killer’s true identity. Things inevitably end up getting far more supernatural than first expected and Van calls upon the gang from the first game to help.
Unfortunately, it becomes apparent almost immediately that Daybreak 2 suffers from having a plot that is far too simple for the standard 50-60 hour runtime that most Trails games have. In an attempt to pad the story out, there’s a lot of focus on individual characters rather than the overarching plot, which is often forgotten about until the game decides it needs to move forward. More often than not, big character moments are bizarrely wedged into scenes regardless of whether it makes sense, making the game convoluted rather than richer.
Dead Ends Are Dead Disappointing
Whenever the main plot did threaten to get interesting, Dead Ends ensured that any potential risk or drama was immediately sucked out of the scene. These are moments in the story in which time is forcibly reversed, as Van’s sidekick Agnes is able to use the Oct-Geneses from the first game to undo events that would have otherwise seen the party killed. It sounds interesting on paper, but Daybreak 2’s decision to build Dead Ends so foundationally into the story removes all jeopardy.
It’s a massive shame, because the ‘oh damn’ moments in the Trails series are one of its biggest strengths. It’s thrilling to see hours of storybuilding come together in one big dramatic reveal or event, but Dead Ends ensure that these moments never occur. On the rare occasion when the story does get tense, you’re sitting there waiting for the warp back in time, unable to get invested or excited over fear of being disappointed yet again – and then, disappointed you are.
You’re then usually made to sit through the exact same cutscene again, which drags you out of the story and removes the tension even more.
Thankfully, not every part of the story is a complete wash. Another of Trails’ biggest strengths is its characters, and there are a few side plots involving fan favorites that are worth pushing through to see for yourself. One of my favorite characters, Renne, has one of the most touching scenes in the entire game, and it’s the culmination of a story that has been running through Trails since the beginning.
Swin and Nadia from Trails into Reverie are also very welcome additions to Van’s crew, adding a couple more unique personalities to a party of characters that can otherwise feel a little dull. Nadia in particular is a nice injection of energy, and her and Swin have their own side plot that runs along the main story, which I often found a lot more compelling. It’s just a shame that these moments are buried in a game that takes an age to go anywhere.
Daybreak 2: Combat Evolved
Disappointing story aside, Daybreak 2 is the best the series has ever played. Falcom has done an incredible job of pinpointing issues in the first Daybreak that needed to be addressed, and has added a couple of new mechanics to make the action-based combat flow a lot better and involve more of your party.
Cross Charges can be executed by dodging an enemy perfectly, which will then let you immediately swap to a different party member, increasing their attack power. You can also cast Arts outside of turn-based battles now too, which can be a little clunky to pull off, but adds extra depth to a combat system that was far too shallow.
Turn-based battles have also been tweaked, as you’re now restricted to using S-Crafts every few turns. It was far too easy in the first game to spam your S-Crafts over and over until everything was dead, but a recast timer has now been added that forces you into using different crafts and experimenting. EX Chains also make you consider your positioning a little more, which are powerful follow-up attacks that can be performed by two SCLM-linked party members.
On top of that, Daybreak 2 also has a massively expanded roster, including some characters that you get to play as for the first time, each with their own movesets and strengths. All of this then comes together in Marchen Garten, a virtual world that acts as a never-ending dungeon you can use to grind for resources, experience, and cash.
Marchen To The Beat Of Your Own Drum
This will be a place in which you spend a considerable amount of time, as almost everything you do in this virtual world is connected to how you perform in the story. New floors are added as the story progresses, each one containing increasingly difficult monsters and more valuable rewards. You can grab costumes, music, valuable items that increase the power of crafts, and a lot more, making it a lucrative way to level up.
It does get very repetitive very quickly, with barely anything besides a change in scenery to differentiate between each floor, but the fact that it’s entirely optional makes it a nice change of pace between the drab story segments. The game’s massive roster also lets you set yourself interesting challenges and complete floors with vastly different parties to keep things fresh.
Daybreak 2 is also the best the series has ever looked, by a country mile. There’s a bit of blatant asset reuse, something which should not come as a surprise to any Trails fan at this point, but some of the S-Craft animations that have been built specifically for Daybreak 2 are stunning, perfectly capturing the power of these moves and the personality behind them. Getting to use an S-Craft with a character you’ve never played as before is always a massive highlight, and a villain using one in the middle of a fight is as close to one of those aforementioned ‘oh damn’ moments that you get in Daybreak 2.
A Trail Not Really Worth Following
Ultimately though, a Trails game should be primarily judged on its story. Those interested in what Daybreak 2 is ‘like’ are almost definitely fully invested in the overarching Trails storyline. It’s a sequel in a JRPG series that is now twelve games deep, not a game you can just pick up and play and expect to understand exactly what’s going on.
With that in mind, Daybreak 2 sits in a weird space in which it’s a must-play for fans of the series, as it sets up events that will be built upon in future games, but it’s also really difficult to recommend. If you’re determined to go in regardless, keep your expectations in check, brace yourself for a seemingly endless amount of filler, and you should have a decent enough time.
JRPG
Action RPG
RPG
Action
- Released
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February 14, 2025
- ESRB
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T for Teen – Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Nihon Falcom, PH3 GmbH
- A focus on individuals with touching moments for established characters
- Improved action and turn-based combat with a massive roster
- Stunning battle animations and scenery
- Far too much filler and a meandering plot that makes getting through the story a chore
- Dead Ends suck any kind of tension or drama out of exciting scenes