Nihon Falcom | GameTrader.SG

Nihon Falcom’s remake of the beloved 2006 JRPG Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is two months out, and the studio has used the lead-up to September 17 wisely — a new batch of reveals this week details seven returning bracers, a full fishing system, and the game’s new Viewer Mode photography feature.

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter — gameplay screenshot showing Estelle and party in battle — Image courtesy of Nihon Falcom

Seven New Bracers Join Estelle’s Journey

The reveals centre on senior and receptionist-rank Bracers stationed across Liberl — familiar faces for players who cleared the first chapter, now with full English and Japanese voice casts confirmed.

Aina Holden (23) — Rolent receptionist, calm and composed, with a hidden talent for heavy drinking (Katiana Sarkissian / Sayumi Suzushiro).
Jean (24) — Ruan receptionist and long-time friend of Agate, upbeat and personable (Kylen Deporter / Kent Itou).
Kilika Rouran (27) — Zeiss branch strategist, exceptionally sharp intuition, trained in Eastern martial arts, and an old acquaintance of Zin from Calvard (Meli Grant / Haruka Michii).
Elnan (25) — Grancel branch leader whose leadership helped prevent the first chapter’s coup (MacLeod Andrews / Sohei Horikane).
Kurt Nardin (29) — High-ranked senior bracer in Grancel, masterful with a spear and Eastern Fangshu techniques; serves as a mentor figure for Estelle and Anelace (Kyle Hebert / Shouichirou Oomi).
Carna (25) — Ruan-area senior bracer specialising in orbal firearms and support Arts, a Royal Tournament competitor tracking the mysterious Society (Yuuki Luna / Yurina Amami).
Grant (22) — Bose branch vanguard, cheerful and self-taught with a greatsword, the kind of straightforward fighter who punches well above his rank (Stephen Fu / Tasuku Hatanaka).

The depth of detail here — specific ages, region assignments, and dual voice casts — signals that Falcom is treating the 2nd Chapter as a full production rather than a light visual refresh. Fans of JRPG releases will recognise several of the English voice actors from other Kiseki titles and broader anime-adjacent work.

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter — character detail showing a senior bracer — Image courtesy of Nihon Falcom

Fishing Comes to Liberl — with a Notebook to Fill

A fishing mini-game is in, playable at designated spots scattered across the Liberl Kingdom. The system asks players to match rod and bait to attract specific species — each successful catch logs into a Fishing Notebook, and completing the entries unlocks bonus items. Mechanically: pick a casting location, time a button press to hook the fish, then manage the reel with the control stick. Simple enough to pick up between story beats, deep enough to keep completionists busy.

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter — fishing gameplay at a scenic waterside location — Image courtesy of Nihon Falcom

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter — Release Date Trailer via GungHo on YouTube

Viewer Mode: Liberl as Your Photo Studio

Viewer Mode is a new photography feature that lets players pose characters against a range of backdrops and dress them in costume items and accessories — including anything unlocked from DLC or the Season Pass. Locations and characters available in the mode expand as you progress through the main story, giving fans a reason to return to the feature throughout the playthrough rather than burning through it on day one.

It is a feature set you would have expected from a modern JRPG, and its inclusion here shows Falcom is aware that Singapore and SEA audiences — who have embraced the character-collection side of JRPGs enthusiastically — expect more than just remastered battle systems.

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter — Viewer Mode photography feature with Estelle — Image courtesy of Nihon Falcom

17 September, Worldwide — Including Singapore

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter launches 17 September 2026 on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. Publisher GungHo Online Entertainment has confirmed a worldwide simultaneous release, which means Singapore players on every major platform are in from day one — no region delays, no waiting for a separate Asia SKU.

The Switch 2 version specifically is notable: for Singapore players who already upgraded, this will run on the new hardware with whatever performance improvements Falcom has baked in for that version. A price has not been confirmed for Singapore yet; the Steam page is live for wishlisting in the meantime.

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter — overworld exploration in the Liberl Kingdom — Image courtesy of Nihon Falcom

For those new to the series: the 2nd Chapter is the direct sequel to last year’s Trails in the Sky remake, picking up immediately where Estelle’s first journey ended with Joshua’s disappearance and the Ouroboros conspiracy beginning to surface. Falcom has built the remake with modern 3D visuals while keeping the turn-based battle system and dense world-building that made the originals cult classics — and the 2nd Chapter is widely considered the stronger of the two Liberl arcs.

Nihon Falcom’s Kyoto Xanadu -the Blooming Phantom- launches in Japan and Asia on 15 July 2026, and it is already live on the Singapore PlayStation Store for pre-order at SGD 70.90 on PS5. The spiritual successor to the cult 2015 action RPG Tokyo Xanadu, this is the first new Xanadu title from Falcom in over a decade — and it lands on Switch 2 and PC Steam on the same day.

From Tokyo to Kyoto — Falcom Returns to Xanadu

The Xanadu sub-series dates back to Falcom’s early PC era, but it found its widest audience with Tokyo Xanadu on the PS Vita and later PS4/PC. Kyoto Xanadu keeps the core formula — a school-life RPG wrapped around hack-and-slash dungeon crawling — but shifts the setting to an alternate-timeline Japan where Kyoto, not Tokyo, is the capital. In this world, a dimension called Xanadu is slowly bleeding into reality, spawning monsters and threatening the city’s ancient streets. Players take on the role of a transfer student who enrols at Hirasaka Academy, a school specifically established to train fighters — called Eligibles — capable of pushing back into the labyrinth.

Clouded Leopard Entertainment handles the Asian localisation and distribution, continuing the publisher’s strong track record of bringing Falcom titles to this region.

How Combat Works — Two Dimensions, One Labyrinth

Kyoto Xanadu – Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase 2.5.2026 — via Nintendo of America on YouTube

The game’s standout design is its dual combat system. Most of the dungeon unfolds as classic 2D side-scrolling action — you run, jump, and slash your way through floors packed with enemies, much like the side-scrolling sections Falcom fans know from the Ys series. Hit a Gate — special nodes scattered through the labyrinth — and the camera pulls back into full 3D, opening a larger arena where your full team’s Soul Devices, Issen counters, and Soul Accel abilities come into play against tougher enemies and bosses. Switching between the two modes mid-run is seamless, which is unusual for an action RPG and gives each layer of the dungeon a distinct feel without splitting the game into two separate modes.

Kyoto Xanadu protagonist Rei in 3D Soul Device combat — Image courtesy of Nihon Falcom

Inside Hirasaka Academy

Between dungeon runs, the game leans into a school-life simulation layer. Players attend card-deck-based classes, build relationships with their squadmates, and explore the city of Kyoto itself. The main cast includes Ren Amano, heir to a major financial conglomerate who leads the elite team Futen using Kurikara sword-type Soul Devices; Zoya, an impulsive close-range fighter who wields Shashka-type weapons; Chisa, a quiet but deadly specialist who fights with Kunai-types; and Rachana, the group’s calm strategist who covers range with Bow-type Soul Devices. The protagonist, Rei, arrives as a transfer student and quickly gets drawn into their world.

Kyoto Xanadu 2D side-scrolling combat in a Japanese castle setting — Image courtesy of Nihon Falcom

Singapore Pricing, Platforms and the Language Caveat

Here is what Singapore players need to know before pre-ordering:

PS5 — SGD 70.90 via the Singapore PlayStation Store. Pre-orders get a LinoN Support Card DLC (bonus valid until 15 July).
Nintendo Switch / Switch 2 — launching the same day via Clouded Leopard Entertainment; the Switch 2 version is digital-only with an upgrade path for Switch owners at just 150 yen.
PC (Steam) — available on the same date in Asia.

Language note: The Asian release — including the Singapore PS Store listing — supports Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean. There is no English text in the current Asian version. English-speaking players should hold off for the Western release, which Falcom and a yet-to-be-announced Western partner have confirmed is in the works for later in summer 2026. If you read Chinese, though, Traditional Chinese support means Mandarin-reading Singapore fans can jump in on day one.

Ren Amano character from Kyoto Xanadu with a large Soul Device weapon — Image courtesy of Nihon Falcom

Western Release and What Comes Next

A Western release date for Kyoto Xanadu is still being coordinated with a partner publisher, so an English-localised version is coming — just without a confirmed date. Given Falcom’s recent track record (the Trails and Ys series have all received solid English releases), the gap between the Japanese/Asian launch and an English version should hopefully be shorter than some of the studio’s older titles.

For more on upcoming game news landing in Singapore this month, keep an eye on the site. Kyoto Xanadu is available for pre-order on the Singapore PS Store now.

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Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Reveals Seven New Bracers, Fishing, and Viewer Mode — Out 17 September