A remake of a 2006 RPG sequel is, by most counts, the best-reviewed game of 2026 so far. Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter launched on September 17 to a 91 on Metacritic and a 92 on OpenCritic, with not a single mixed or negative review on Metacritic. RPG Site and DualShockers gave it 10/10, Game Informer 9.5.
The praise is remarkably consistent: story, cast, combat and the remake work itself. So is the one complaint. Almost every review, including the perfect scores, flags the same thing: you've been here before. Here's why critics rate it so highly, and why that nitpick matters more to some players than others.
Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter review scores: 91 on Metacritic
Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter was released worldwide on September 17, 2026 for PS5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. It's developed by Nihon Falcom and published in North America by GungHo Online Entertainment America. Metacritic lists it at 91 on PS5 from 18 critics and 92 on PC from 14, with every review positive. OpenCritic's Top Critic Average is 92, with 98% of critics recommending it.
It's a full remake of Trails in the Sky SC, the direct sequel to the first game, and it picks up moments after 2025's Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter ends. Estelle Bright sets out to find Joshua after he disappears, while the secret society Ouroboros moves against the kingdom of Liberl. Like 1st Chapter, it lets you fight in real time on the field or switch into turn-based battles.
- RPG Site10/10
- DualShockers10/10
- Hardcore Gamer5/5
- PSX Brasil100
- Game Informer9.5/10
- PlayStation Universe9.5/10
- ZTGD9.5/10
- RPGFan94
- IGN9/10
- Push Square9/10
- Wccftech9/10
- CGMagazine8.5/10
- Worth Playing8.5/10
- Shacknews8/10
Launch-week coverage from TheGamer and GamesRadar+ called it 2026's highest-rated game, passing Mina the Hollower and Forza Horizon 6, which had shared the top spot at 91 since May. On OpenCritic's 2026 chart it currently sits at 92, second only to March's Mythmatch (93). If you're curious why the two aggregators disagree by a point or two, our explainer on how Metacritic and OpenCritic scores work covers it.
What critics love about Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter
The story comes first in nearly every review, and specifically the way it pays off what 1st Chapter set up. Game Informer's Hayes Madsen (9.5) says 2nd Chapter "masterfully updates the gameplay and timeless story, adding up to what is now the Trails series' defining entry." After 80 hours, he writes that no coming-of-age story holds up as well as Estelle's.
"Direct sequels simply don't get much better than Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter." Robert Ramsey, Push Square
Ramsey (9/10) argues that Trails works best when it doesn't reinvent itself: because 1st Chapter did the setup, 2nd Chapter can spend its time raising the stakes. He calls the second half "a total barnstormer."
The remake work gets as much credit as the writing. IGN's George Yang (9/10) says it "captures everything that made the original so endearing while giving it an impressive makeover." Push Square praises the combat and its reworked attack animations, and RPGFan's Audra Bowling (94) found both the action and turn-based modes "surprisingly fun." DualShockers' Murillo Zerbinatto (10/10) goes furthest, saying the remake "satisfies every single side of a JRPG fan and cements itself as one of the finest titles the genre has to offer today."
The cast carries a lot of these reviews. RPG Site's Junior Miyai (10/10) singles out a key scene between Tita and Agate that had the reviewer tearing up, and Game Informer calls the voice acting "genuinely fantastic" across the board.
Where reviews split: going back over old ground
This is the recurring nitpick, and it comes straight from the source material. 2nd Chapter takes place in the same kingdom as 1st Chapter, so you revisit the same towns, roads and a lot of the same dungeons.
Push Square's cons list includes "reused locations lack wonder" alongside a very slow opening, and the review says the pacing sags when you're retreading familiar places. DualShockers tells players to expect "the same regions, towns, and dungeons as before, facing similar enemies." RPG Site says backtracking "is, unfortunately, still a chore," though the High-Speed Mode makes it easier. Game Informer's only real downside is related: "dungeons that can feel just a tad too long."
The one smaller quibble that shows up more than once is partial voice acting. RPGFan and DualShockers both point out scenes where one character speaks aloud and the next line is text only, which Zerbinatto calls his "only nagging complaint." RPGFan also finds some locales "a tad emptier" than before and the interface "serviceable but somewhat plain."
None of this moves the scores much. Push Square lists all of it as cons and still gives the game a 9, treating it as the cost of being a direct sequel rather than a flaw in the remake. But if the slow start is where you tend to drop RPGs, it's worth knowing going in.
Should you play Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter?
Play it now if you finished 1st Chapter. This is the easiest recommendation of the year. Every review agrees the story lands, the combat is better, and the ending is worth the length. It's $59.99 on PS5 and Switch and $64.99 on Switch 2.
Play 1st Chapter first if you haven't. Push Square is blunt about it: "You absolutely need to have played 1st Chapter before playing this." The two remakes are one story split in half. Our Trails series guide covers where to start, the full play order and which versions to play.
Plan for the length. Push Square's Ramsey says he did everything in around 70 hours, noticeably longer than 1st Chapter. Game Informer's review is based on 80 hours. If a long RPG with a slow first act is a hard sell right now, our feature on whether video games are too long is a good gut check before you commit.
Wait if you want new places. If revisiting Liberl's towns doesn't appeal, that's the one part the reviews say won't change. The payoff is in the characters, not the map.
When you finish, it's the kind of game worth writing a few lines about while the ending is fresh. Perthro lets you log it, rate it and see which of your friends are still in Liberl.
Sources
- Metacritic: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter
- OpenCritic: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter
- Game Informer: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter review
- Push Square: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter review
- RPG Site: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter review
- RPGFan: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter review
- DualShockers: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter review
- TheGamer: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is now the highest-rated game of 2026
- GamesRadar+: A remake of a 20-year-old cult JRPG is now the best-rated game of 2026
- GungHo: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter launches September 17
- Wikipedia: List of Trails media
