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The Legend of Heroes: Trails By Dawn II releases within the West for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Swap, and Steam. Alongside our evaluation, I’ve a couple of options protecting the sport throughout totally different platforms like I did for Ys X: Nordics. As somebody who has performed each Falcom Western launch throughout all platforms, it has been attention-grabbing to see how sure video games had been dealt with externally for extra platforms  whereas newer ones are seeing Falcom port the video games internally. On this Trails By Dawn II PS5 vs Swap vs PS4 console comparability, I’ll cowl how the sport scales throughout consoles and in addition the way it compares to the primary recreation and Falcom’s more-recent Ys X launch. 

Earlier than attending to how Trails By Dawn II runs, I want to offer you some context for Falcom’s latest console releases. Trails By Dawn debuted in September 2021 on PS4 in Japan. It was launched with a 30fps body charge cap and was the primary recreation on Falcom’s newer engine. It was then patched to incorporate an uncapped body charge possibility that was clearly only for when performed through backward compatibility on PS5 given the way it ran on PS4 Professional. Virtually a 12 months after its PS4 debut, it acquired a local PS5 launch that was greater decision and had a 60fps body charge goal with quicker loading.

It wasn’t till final 12 months that Trails By Dawn was ported to Swap, and it was accomplished internally relatively than by way of a 3rd celebration writer for an additional area. Trails By Dawn was the primary massive and trendy Falcom recreation that was ported to Swap internally and the top end result was largely good, but it surely wasn’t perfect. 

Ys X: Nordics then again, was launched on PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Swap the identical day in Japan again in September 2023  with all variations being dealt with by Falcom internally. I coated the console variations right here, but it surely was a great expertise on Swap, unbelievable on PS5, and missing on PS4. 

Trails By Dawn II was launched in Japan concurrently on PS5 and PS4 in September 2022. This launch did not have any body charge choices for PS4 or PS4 Professional. The PS5 model additionally did not run in addition to Trails By Dawn did on PS5. This launch was ported to Swap final 12 months as nicely, quickly after Trails By Dawn hit Swap in Japan. For the Western launch on February 14 (in 2025) Trails By Dawn II hits PS4, PS5, Nintendo Swap, and PC concurrently. 

I introduced up the video games in that order as a result of we noticed Trails By Dawn adopted by Ys X: Nordics and now have Trails By Dawn II releasing within the West. In Japan, Ys X adopted each Trails By Dawn and Trails By Dawn II. With that context out of the best way, Trails By Dawn II is a bit inconsistent on consoles. There additionally is not a demo on Swap (or PC) and is just out there on PS5 and PS4. Having performed the Western and Japanese demos and now re-tested with the total retail construct on PlayStation, I’ve discovered some attention-grabbing variations and points throughout consoles.

Falcom clearly made some lighting and post-processing enhancements to the engine and recreation, shifting from Trails By Dawn to Trails By Dawn II. The comparability picture under showcases how even the shadows are higher in Trails By Dawn II in comparison with the primary recreation on PS5 on this particular state of affairs. 

Notice: The comparability picture above is from the opening hours of the sport. This has a Swap screenshot from when it has been performed docked and a PS5 screenshot of the native PS5 model on my 1440p show. Each screenshots have been zoomed in and cropped to showcase the variations for these studying this text on a small display screen. 

Trails By Dawn II — PS5 vs Swap vs PS4 content material and variations

So far as I can inform, there isn’t any distinction in content material between platforms, together with save information bonuses, however there are variations for decision, body charge, load occasions, and different visible components. For many who have an interest within the set up sizes, Trails By Dawn II takes up 25.5GB for the PS4 model, 13.8GB for the Swap model, and 17.6GB for the PS5 model.

Notice: The comparability picture above makes use of the PS4 model operating on PS5 and the native PS5 model each performed on my 1440p monitor. The pictures have been cropped and zoomed in to showcase variations for these studying on a smaller display screen.

Trails By Dawn II — PS5 vs Swap vs PS4 visuals

For the visible variations, how Trails By Dawn II differs from Trails By Dawn on Swap is one thing I want to spotlight first. Trails By Dawn had a tender look, but it surely was total a great expertise on Swap all issues thought-about. Trails By Dawn II appears to take away post-processing (like anti-aliasing) or dramatically cut back it to ship a crisper, albeit much less secure picture. This causes Trails By Dawn II to function extra jagged edges and shimmering than the primary recreation. As Falcom’s second port to Swap utilizing this engine, there are some notable adjustments. 

Self-shadowing is a bit higher with shadows on the whole being improved as you may see within the picture above. The sport additionally appears to look a bit extra saturated or have coloration grading that I want in comparison with the primary recreation. 

Shifting over to PS5 and PS4, the latter is greater decision than Swap, but it surely appears to be like tender on my 1440p show. The PS5 model then again is crisp with a really secure picture even throughout quick digital camera motion. The PS4 model, as you may see within the demo as nicely, suffers from among the jagged edges and shimmering seen on Swap, but it surely is not as dangerous. 

Draw distance is one space the place all variations are missing in elements, however the Swap model suffers probably the most in the way it handles very crowded places. It feels just like the draw distance for some distant objects like timber within the Riverside are comparable for all consoles, however NPCs and different 3D components on the highway load in nearer to the participant on Swap in comparison with PS5.

Notice: The comparability picture above is from the opening hours of the sport. This has a Swap screenshot from when it has been performed docked and a PS5 screenshot of the native PS5 model on my 1440p show. Each screenshots have been zoomed in and cropped to showcase the variations for these studying this text on a small display screen. 

Trails By Dawn II — PS5 vs Swap vs PS4 efficiency variations and body charge

Trails By Dawn II on Swap targets 30fps, but it surely hardly ever holds a locked 30fps even within the early sections. Anticipate to have a extra constant expertise within the smaller dungeon areas and closed places. The out of doors parts undergo probably the most as anticipated. The PS4 model runs at an uncapped body charge and it hits a locked 60fps when performed on PS5 primarily based on my testing. I wasn’t capable of take a look at on my PS4 Professional for this comparability. The PS5 model targets 60fps and hits it rather a lot, however there are a lot of areas the place it runs decrease or has hitching. 

Trails By Dawn II — PS5 vs Swap vs PS4 load occasions

When checking the load occasions, I examined two totally different parts of the opening exiting and coming into dungeons. The Swap model when leaving a dungeon to get again to the riverside took about 11.5 seconds to load when operating off an SD card and about 10.5 seconds when operating off the interior storage. For this identical take a look at case, the PS5 model took about 1.5 seconds and simply was like a fade out and in. The PS4 model operating from my exterior exhausting drive on PS5 took about 5 seconds for a similar load. When retesting this operating off my M2 SSD on my PS5, the PS4 model on PS5 (SSD) took about 4.5 seconds for a similar load. This is not actually helpful for these taking part in on a base PS4, however those that are contemplating taking part in the PS4 model on PS5 for one of the best efficiency will need to know the way the load occasions evaluate. 

Trails By Dawn II — PS5 vs Swap vs PS4 

Proper now, one of the best ways to play Trails By Dawn II on console is taking part in the PS4 model on PS5 through backward compatibility if you would like one of the best performing model. This can be a notable visible downgrade although. The PS5 model performed on a VRR show primarily based on some mild testing gives a greater expertise, but it surely is not good. The PS5 model’s improved picture high quality and quicker load occasions will probably be definitely worth the unstable efficiency in open areas provided that it runs higher and extra constantly in dungeons and extra closed areas. 

I used to be shocked to see no locked 30fps possibility for the PS4 model as nicely contemplating how having a secure decrease body charge goal is most popular by some over an uncapped body charge that’s hardly ever locked to its higher restrict (except you play on PS5). 

One factor to notice is that if you happen to personal a PlayStation Portal, the PS4 model’s visible downgrades in comparison with PS5 is not going to be as noticeable, and it’ll ship a locked 60fps expertise which is able to really feel higher. The PlayStation Portal expertise will range for individuals, however when you have it working nicely in your setup (PS5 wired and 5Ghz Wi-Fi for the Portal being perfect), it is a nice solution to stream and play it on a handheld.

The Swap model’s unstable visuals are undoubtedly disappointing alongside the longer load occasions and body charge points even early on within the recreation. In the event you loved Trails By Dawn on Swap, you’ll nonetheless see a downgrade right here to how the sport appears to be like and feels, however efficiency is not so much worse. As Falcom’s second recreation utilizing this engine on Swap, I’m dissatisfied that we do not actually see technical enhancements even after the lengthy delay within the port. Hopefully every time The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki -Farewell, O Zemuria- hits Swap, it fares higher.