Thanks again to the wonderful team at NIS America, we got a second exclusive sneak peek at The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II. As mentioned in our first preview, even though the first Trails through Daybreak only just arrived in July, its sequel is already on the horizon. As devoted Trails fans, we are thrilled to share what Trails Through Daybreak II has in store. The event showcased not one but two demos: a story demo and a gameplay demo, each highlighting different aspects of the game. Both demos will be available to the public on January 24th, 2025.
Before we get to the rest of our preview, we also have a video version by Scott, so take a look!
Trails through Daybreak II Video Preview
The story demo features the first chapter of the game, spanning 2–3 hours—or more if you’re the type to lose yourself in side quests. Better yet, your progress from the demo will transfer to the full game, so you can start your adventure before the official release. This installment continues the branching path structure seen in Trails into Reverie, but with a twist: you’ll need to commit to a single path, with no jumping between storylines. If you’ve played Trails through Daybreak or the Ys X: Nordics story demo, you should expect a similar experience here.
The gameplay demo, however, is a new addition for those interested in the enhanced battle system. This demo dives into the Märchen Garten, an optional game mode reminiscent of the Reverie Corridor from Trails into Reverie. Featuring fully randomized floor layouts, the Märchen Garten offers a plethora of challenges and rewards. We learned that skill stones will level up your Crafts and S-Crafts, and to ensure balance, you will no longer be able to chain your S-Crafts in the same way you could in Trails through Daybreak. Even so, S-Crafts remain extremely powerful and well worth upgrading.




We asked Alan from NIS America if the Märchen Garten’s length and the related character selection will be as involved as the Reverie Corridor. He mentioned that it is not quite as long as the Reverie Corridor and is more supplemental to the story. However, this content is still highly recommended if you want to experience all there is to offer in Trails through Daybreak II. It is important to note that your progress in this demo will not transfer to the full game, so this demo is purely designed to familiarize yourself with the battle system.
What truly brings this world to life, though, is the return of minigames. Yes, you read that right—minigames are back and more engaging than ever! The first minigame NIS America showed us is Seven Hearts, an exclusive card game added in Trails through Daybreak II. Alan mentioned that luck plays a significant role in your success, so if you’re struggling, simply try again! Next, we got to see a demonstration of a hacking minigame. This minigame is clearly more dynamic and strategy-focused than Seven Hearts, as you must navigate through the correct locks within a time limit. Each attempt is entirely randomized, so you will have a new experience each time.


Basketball comes next, a simple minigame that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of more casual diversions. Fishing also gets a significant overhaul, with bait selection and fish rank playing a bigger role in determining your rewards. One major quality-of-life feature is that you can see the chance of catching certain fish when you switch your bait. The first Trails through Daybreak was notable for its lack of minigames, but Falcom has made up for that by packing the sequel full of them. Fortunately for those uninterested in these diversions, minigames are entirely optional, granting the freedom to focus entirely on the main story.
Most excitingly, nearly the entire Arkride Solutions team is back in action, along with some returning fan-favorite characters. While Swin and Nadia from Trails through Reverie have been confirmed, mentioning others would venture into spoiler territory, so you will just have to wait and see! February can’t come soon enough, and we can’t wait to dive back into Calvard.
Trails through Daybreak II Screenshots




The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II launches February 14th, 2025 on PlayStation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch, and Steam. The demo will be available on January 24th, 2025.
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