The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II
A time-rewinding mystery sequel in the Trails series.
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The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II, a role-playing game from Nihon Falcom, launched in 2022. It marks the thirteenth main entry in the Trails series, which itself belongs to the broader The Legend of Heroes franchise, and directly follows the events of 2021’s Trails Through Daybreak.
Development and release
The game first hit Japanese shelves for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in September 2022. Clouded Leopard Entertainment handled a Windows port for Asia in January 2023, while NIS America brought an English version to North America and Europe in February 2025 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows—the Nintendo Switch version followed later on July 11, 2025. A follow-up, Trails Beyond the Horizon, appeared in 2024.
Plot
After the collapse of Almata, Elaine Auclair recruits Van Arkride to probe a string of strange murders. Their investigation leads them to a man who can transform into a monster resembling Van’s own Grendel form. Both are killed during the clash, but the Oct-Genesis in Agnès Claudel’s possession rewinds time, sparing them.
The Arkride Solution Office reunites to crack the case, joined by Swin Abel and Nadia Rayne. They face off against the Garden-Master—the last survivor of the Garden, who controls the monster Grendel-Zolga as a separate entity—alongside Ellroy Harwood, who has his own agenda involving Ixs and Jorda, already enforcers of Ouroboros. Each time the group hits a dead end, the Oct-Genesis resets time.
The team learns the Garden-Master is actually Ace Rayne, Nadia’s brother and Swin’s former partner, long believed dead. In truth, a clone body hosts the spirit of Auguste Aldan, a Calvardian revolutionary executed for ideological differences, who survived by feeding on the negativity of history’s wronged souls. He aims to use the eighth and final Oct-Genesis, along with Grendel-Zolga and his AI Carmine Altra—a corrupted version of Lapis Rosenberg—to reshape history. The heroes stop him, allowing Swin and Nadia a final moment with the real Ace’s spirit.
Van’s group eventually identifies Grendel-Zolga as Dingo Brad, a journalist and old friend murdered during an Almata operation. His body was cloned for the Garden-Master, but Dingo’s original personality gradually took over, indirectly aiding the heroes. After his defeat, Dingo dies peacefully, and everyone attends the anniversary celebration of Agnès’ academy.
Lore & Background
The game begins after the fall of Almata, when Elaine Auclair recruits Van Arkride to investigate a series of bizarre murders. This leads them to a man who can take a monstrous form similar to Van's Grendel. Both are killed, but the Oct-Genesis in Agnès Claudel's possession rewinds time, saving them.
The Arkride Solution Office reunites to solve the mystery, joined by Swin Abel and Nadia Rayne. They come into conflict with the Garden-Master, who controls the monster Grendel-Zolga as a separate entity, and Ellroy Harwood, who has his own dealings with Ixs and Jorda—already enforcers of Ouroboros. The Oct-Genesis resets time whenever they hit a dead end.
Reader's Guide
Trails Through Daybreak II is significant as a direct sequel that expands the narrative of the Trails series, introducing time-rewinding mechanics through the Oct-Genesis. Its plot deepens the lore of the franchise by exploring themes of resurrection, cloning, and historical revisionism.
The game's release pattern—first in Japan on PlayStation consoles, later ported to Windows in Asia, and finally an English version including Nintendo Switch—reflects the series' growing international audience. The inclusion of characters from previous games and organizations like Ouroboros ties the story into the larger Legend of Heroes universe. Its legacy includes setting up the sequel Trails Beyond the Horizon, released in 2024, and demonstrating Falcom's continued commitment to complex, interconnected storytelling.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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