The Legend of Heroes: Reign of Terror II -CRIMSON SiN- can't find the right time to stop! Review of the latest in the roller-coaster "Locus" series [Trial version now available].

It has been about a month since the release of "The Legend of Heroes: Reign of Terror II -CRIMSON SiN-," the latest installment in Nihon Falcom's popular full-length RPG "Locus" series. Many of you must be enjoying this work.

However, we still don't know about this work. However, for those who still do not know or have not touched this work, we would like to share our experience with you! For those of you who have not yet touched the game, and for those of you who are thinking of starting the game now that the demo version has been distributed (......), I would like to introduce the charm of this game!

The "Trails in the Sky" series is a popular series that has been developed over a period of 18 years since the first title "Trails in the Sky FC" (Windows version) was released in 2004, and has been ported to various platforms.

This series depicts the activities of various characters on the continent of Zemuria, which has both fantastical and scientific elements similar to real modern society, through a technology called "guiding force," a fusion of science and mystical technology. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Reign II is a direct sequel to the 11th title, "The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Reign," which was released in 2021.

The previous title was a revolutionary title that incorporated many elements not found in the previous "Locus" series, such as field battles with high action elements and a storyline that diverges depending on the player's choices.

At the same time, the drama and characters remain the same, and the game is still a great deal of fun to play.

The story is full of mystery, with a mixture of characters from previous titles and new enemies!

Let's start with the storyline.

Van Arkride, a backroom solver (spriggan) who runs the "Arkride Solution Office" in the Republic of Calvado, solved the disaster that struck the capital and himself a few months ago. After that, each staff member left the capital temporarily, and the story begins ...... where he was once again enjoying a carefree life by himself.

He had a good relationship with his former girlfriend, Elaine Eau Claire, who is now a ranger, and they had a good working relationship, not to mention their private life.

One day, in the capital's underground, a series of bizarre murders of outlaws, including members of the mafia and semi-gangsters, are taking place. At the scene of these murders, there was always a mysterious man who had transformed into a "red fairy" and a "deformed monster. ...... Elaine says that Mea, a blue fairy, and Van, who had once transformed into the demon Grendel, were targeted as key witnesses.

So Van and Elaine immediately begin their investigation.

After a series of investigations, they finally find the target. However, Van and Elaine lose their lives in the face of the "deformed monster" that is so powerful.

The next moment, however, Van's consciousness returns to the moment just before they enter the target's hideout.

It seems that the mysterious orbament "Genesis" in Agnes' possession has activated some kind of power. ......

Van and his team, now fully prepared, attack again, this time with Agnes and her bad friend and CID (Central Intelligence Agency) assistant René Kincaid in their ranks.

Joining Van and his team in the final phase of the battle against the target were Swin Abel and Nadia Lane, both former members of the New Imperial Liberation Front.

With the support of these powerful helpers, the team survived the battle this time. However, the mysterious man who transforms into a "deformed monster" and the red fairy escape.

Although the spread of the murders has been stopped for the time being, the series of events this time may be related to the criminal organization "Alma Mater," which Van and his team had destroyed in the past. ...... Van, who suspects this, begins his search for the key to the case, which he calls "the legacy of Alma Mater.

As you can see, there is a lot of information right from the start. And the story unfolds in a shocking way.

However, if you have already played the previous titles, you will be excited by the eerie interplay between characters who have already built up their relationship values, the thrilling storyline in which the legacy of a once powerful enemy lurks behind the scenes, and the appearance of a powerful enemy who looks just like him, a staple of transformable hero stories, The story is sure to raise the tension with its royal road to combustion!

This title also adds a large number of new districts and facilities, as well as towns that did not appear in the previous title. All of the locations are vast and varied, so you can enjoy a bit of a travel experience.

↑Messeldam, the city of the film festival, which appeared only in name in the previous work "Trail of the Reign", is also set to become a stage.

↑You can also visit the landmark Trion Tower in the capital city

↑This time, you can also enjoy a vacation at a resort. Who you spend your vacation with is up to you.

It is also great to see the return of Swin and Nadia, who appeared in the previous "Trail of Creation" and many fans may have been wondering what happened to them afterwards, as main characters. This time, they will be active as "Acting Behind-the-Scenes Resolvers" in place of Van, who has left the capital.

Whether as a sequel to "Reiki no Kiseki" or as part of the "Kiseki" series, you will be able to enjoy a story with depth.

Avoid the bad ending! Explore the new "Time Leap" element!

Another unique aspect of this title is the device that enhances the epic story.

One of the key elements in this new title is the "time leap" element. In this work, Van and his friends are confronted by beings whose identities are unknown and who possess powerful forces. Depending on the situation, the characters may run out of power without warning.

However, each time this happens, Agnes' "genesis" shines forth and pulls the player back to the fork in the road of destiny.

What actions can you take to avoid a bad ending? ...... Please find the correct route.

↑Find the right choices and strategy routes to avoid the bad endings!

Another highlight of the game is the story that unfolds from various perspectives.

In addition to the story from Van's point of view, the game also features a parallel storyline that focuses on a variety of characters.

While Van and his team are pursuing incidents in various locations, other characters are developing their own stories. ...... The story can be enjoyed from multiple perspectives.

I was surprised at how well the story unfolds no matter which character is the main focus. It shows how much the characters in the "Locus" series "stand on their own.

The "fairy garden castle (Märchen Garten)," where you can explore with your favorite characters at any time!

Another major element of this work is the "fairy garden castle (Märchen Garten).

To put it simply, this is a virtual space that allows you to experience what it is like to really be there. It is one of the new features of XYFA and is a product of super-technology that allows the experience of being in the garden castle to be directly fed back into reality.

The "fairy garden castle" built in this virtual space has been taken over by someone, and Van and his friends must explore the farthest reaches of this virtual space. There are several dungeons in the space, which are conquered with friends connected to the network.

In the "garden castle," players can form a party with any combination of characters who can participate in battles. This mode is similar to the "Dream Corridor" in "Trails of Creation.

In addition to dungeon exploration, this mode allows players to spend "shard tokens" obtained in the real world and in the garden castle to obtain items that can only be obtained here, and to enhance each character's craft.

↑Bump shard tokens and analyze the Mystic Cube! When the screen glows brightly, you have a chance to get a rare item!

The "Garden Castle" can be attacked at any time during a break in the main storyline. You can challenge the same dungeon over and over again, so you can train your low-level characters here. Make the most of it and use it to your advantage.

Check out the many new actions that will liven up your adventures!

Here are some of the new actions that have been added to this title.

The basic flow of the game is the same as in the previous title, with movement and field battles on the field and command battles depending on the situation. ......, but there is a greater variety of "actions you can take" and "actions you should take" in each situation. . If you master them, you will be able to enjoy more comfortable and thrilling play.

More actions unique to backroom solvers!

In the previous title, the backroom solver solves various cases by basically combining "listening," "searching," "battling targets," and "making choices.

However, in this work, "tailing" and "detection by shard search" are added.

↑When "tailing," you must act in such a way that the target does not see you. If the target is very cautious, he/she may look back to see what is going on.

Tailing" means, as it says, following the target without being detected. You should follow the target without getting too close or too far away from him or her, and without being noticed. The "Found" gauge, which indicates how alert the target is, and the "Lost" gauge, which increases when the target disappears from sight, are displayed at the bottom of the screen, so the player must balance both gauges.

Sometimes it is necessary to hide in the shadows to see what is going on.

↑Using "Shard Search," it is possible to locate a target's footprints, as shown here!

Shard Search Detection" is a new feature of the mobile terminal "Xypha," and is an amazing technology that can visualize information invisible to the eye. This makes it possible to highlight and hint at specific footprints and other evidence that is invisible to the eye.

By utilizing this detection function, it is possible to search for items and other items hidden in the field, so it would be possible to continue searching while walking.

There is a "portal" hidden in ↑street that allows access to the "fairy garden castle". This can also be found by shard searching.

↑Shard tokens are hidden throughout the field. They are important items for advancing in the game, so press the R3 button to search for them!

The action in field battles has been enhanced!

In the previous title, "Attack," "Evade," and "Charge Attack" allowed players to enjoy action RPG-like battles, but in this title, "Quick Arts" and "Cross Charge" have been added as new actions.

↑The arts to be activated by "Quick Arts" can be selected on the menu screen.

Quick Arts" are arts (like magic) that can be activated on the field in response to normal physical attacks. Just as in normal command battles, Quick Arts also have attributes, so you should switch characters depending on the enemy and activate the Quick Arts with the attribute of the enemy's weak point!

Cross Charge" is activated by pressing the △ button when just evading an enemy attack during a field battle. The control switches to another party member, and an enhanced charge attack is activated, as well as a higher attack power than normal for a certain period of time. If you use this well, you will be able to quickly stun the enemy.

This is an action you should always aim for.

↑Characters with increased attack power will glow yellow.

EX Chain, which is actually the most cost-effective.

This is a new action that is triggered during command battles when attacking a stunned enemy with a normal attack or a crafted (character-specific special attack) attack while in a scrum with a friend.

Tag-team attacks can be launched, inflicting massive damage that also involves the target's surroundings.

Again, there is a powerful special move unique to each character, "S Craft," but this one consumes two boost gauges to activate, whereas the EX Chain consumes only one boost gauge. In addition, it can deal much higher damage than normal damage, so depending on the situation, it can reduce the enemy's strength more efficiently than S Craft.

This is another attack that should be aggressively targeted.

↑The direction to attack two people at the same time is cool!

The mini-games are also substantial, allowing players to enjoy the game without a break!

While the above introduction focuses on the new elements of this title, it also retains the "Kiseki" series' originality.

The "Connect" feature allows players to enjoy short scenarios that reveal unexpected aspects of the characters. The "orbment" system allows players to freely customize their status. A dress-up system that allows players to freely arrange their appearance. The "4spg" quests, in which you can solve the cases of people in need. The vast amount of text provided for each mob character will have fans of the series saying, "This is what it's all about! I'm sure fans of the series will agree that this is the way to go.

↑Fishing is the name of the game in the "Locus" series! Using "Shard Search," you can even find recommended fishing spots!

In addition, the mini-games have been enhanced with the return of the series' classic "Fishing," a 1-on-1 basketball game, and the new card game "Seven Hearts.

In addition, in the "Locus" series, hacking activities are mainly performed by characters such as Ren who have access to the conductivity net, but in this title, there is also a mode in which players can control Mea to perform hacking when unlocking certain treasure chests.

Hacking is simulated in the form of conquering a dungeon within a certain time frame. The game is almost impossible to clear unless you find the right route and the movement of obstacles! You can try again and again, so don't give up!

↑upSeven Hearts, a four-player card game. The rules are a bit peculiar, but once you get used to them, you can enjoy the speedy development of the game.

↑upHacking to explore cyber space. It is a surprisingly challenging mini-game.

As you can see from the above, there is a lot to do in this title, and the "I don't know what to do next" situation that is common in RPGs does not apply at all in this title. There is always something to do, and you never get lost wondering what to do next.

As you progress through the story, various events await you, and as you digest the various elements scattered throughout the field, the story will eventually progress as well. ...... In this way, all the elements are seamlessly connected, pulling the player onward and upward.

This roller coaster ride and sense of grand hospitality may be the greatest in the history of the "Kiseki" series.

The story-driven RPGs unique to Japan have formed their own genre, the "JRPG," and in a sense, this title can be said to be at the cutting edge of that genre. I think I expressed the same impression in my review of the previous title, "Trails of Rei," but "Trails of Rei II" definitely renews the cutting edge of the genre.

If you have read this review so far and are thinking, "But I've never touched the "Locus" series before. ......," don't worry. For those who have, there is a feature that allows you to view the digest story of "Trails of Dawn" before starting the main story and check out various setting materials, so you should be able to enjoy the game even if you start with this title out of the blue.

↑For those who have played the previous title, the digest is a great way to review the story!

In addition, DLC to customize the characters' appearance will be distributed one after another, a comic book featuring Agnes will be published in "Dengeki Twitter Magazine," and a radio program "Rei no Kiseki presents Van-san, it's time for the radio! (Bunka Hoso), and many other projects around the game.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Reign II -CRIMSON SiN-," which allows players to enjoy the game in a variety of ways, began distribution of a demo version of the game on November 15, which allows players to play the first part of the game as is. The characters developed in the demo version can be carried over to the full version, so please take this opportunity to check it out.

Also, please take this opportunity to check out the game,

Game Information

The Legend of Heroes: Reign of Terror II -CRIMSON SiN

Compatibility: PS5/PS4

Release date: September 29, 2022

Genre: Story RPG

Price: Normal Edition: 8,580 yen (including tax), Limited Edition: 11,000 yen (including tax), Download Normal Edition: 8,250 yen (including tax), Download Digital Deluxe Edition: 11,000 yen (including tax)

Maker：NIHON FALCOM