Nihon Falcom, the prolific JRPG developer, has announced the release date of The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II – CRIMSON SiN. The hotly-anticipated sequel will hit the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 game consoles in Japan on September 29, 2022.
At this point, Kuro no Kiseki II is a Japanese and Sony exclusive, as there’s no confirmation of other territories and platform releases — yet. But we remain hopeful that it will eventually receive an official Western release in the foreseeable future. And similarly to other Nihon Falcom titles, it will likely receive a PC port.
Reportedly, Toshihiro Kondo, Nihon Falcom’s company president, has stated that there are plans to bring the Kuro no Kiseki series to Western audiences. However, given the first installment’s initial release date of September 30, 2021 — Western fans will face a significant delay in eventually playing both titles.
But Clouded Leopard Entertainment has published the PC version of The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki on Steam featuring Japanese audio and traditional Chinese and Korean subtitles.
It’s possible to play this title in English by downloading and injecting an English patch, but we don’t endorse this method in any way. We recommend that eager fans wait for the official English localization instead.
But besides the official release date confirmation, Nihon Falcom released a soundtrack mini preview video on August 5, 2022. It contains eight tracks from the game ranging from punchy to emotional compositions. Overall, this mini sample gives us confidence that Kuro no Kiseki II won’t disappoint in the audio department.
Here, have a listen:
The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II has many unexpected events and characters
Kuro no Kiseki II takes place in S.1209 (according to the series’s own calendar dating convention), whereby events unfold in The Republic of Calvard.
After being no longer threatened by the Armata criminal organization, The Republic’s capital — Edith — experiences a new traumatic event. Members of the elite Gamma Squad belonging to the Central Intelligence Division (CID) end up slaughtered under mysterious circumstances.
Now, several organizations kick into action, introducing us to the game’s many memorable characters.
One of which is Van Arkride, the lead protagonist. He operates as a jack-of-all-trades investigator that regularly undertakes combat and search operations. He also heads the Arkride Solutions Office based in Edith, where he meets his clients and comrades.
Kuro no Kiseki II’s many characters are excellently designed by Enami Katsumi, a freelance illustrator. She’s also designed the characters in The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure and Trails from Zero.
Below are most of the key characters appearing in The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II – Crimson SiN, together with a brief bio of each.
Van Arkride, Agnes Claudel, and Elaine Auclair
Van Arkride: He’s a pragmatist that always looks out for others. And he works as a Spriggan that accepts jobs that neither the police nor bracers undertake.
- Age: 25 years old
- Height: 180 cm
- Hobbies: Customizing cars, saunas, and sweets
- Affiliation: Arkride Solutions Office
- Weapon: Gekiken / Stun-Calibur
Agnes Claudel: She’s a first-year student at a prestigious high school and heads the student council and general affairs. Moreover, she’s always neat and uses polite language when addressing others.
- Age: 16 years old
- Height: 158 cm
- Affiliation: Aramis High School
- Weapon: Orbal Staff / Power Cane
Elaine Auclair: Also known as the Sword Maiden, Elaine is an A-rank bracer with immense sword skills. Yet, she’s humble and avoids the limelight as much as possible.
- Age: 24 years old
- Height: 168 cm
- Affiliation: Bracer Guild
- Weapon: Knight Sword
Celis Ortesia, Rion Balthazar, and Altera
Celis Ortesia: She ranks fourth as one of the 12 Guardian Knights associated with the Knights of the Stargrail. Even though she’s petite, she has a fiery temperament and packs a punch!
- Age: 27 years old
- Height: 160 cm
- Affiliation: Septian Church
- Weapon: Large Templar Sword
Rion Balthazar: He ranks eleventh as a Guardian Knight and manages the Knights of the Stargrail. And while he’s friendly and approachable, he’s incredibly ferocious when engaged in battle.
- Age: 25 years old
- Height: 174 cm
- Affiliation: Septian Church
- Weapon: Rapier Templar Sword
Altera: Also known as Scarlet Altera, she’s a Hollow Core, a fairy-type entity. While she’s very similar to Mare, she seems to have a dislike for her, humans, and Van’s Grendel.
Swin Abel, Nadia Rayne, and Renne Bright
Swin Abel: A former assassin that now works as a courier. He travels from the Crossbell Autonomous Region to the Erebonia Empire but is bound to meet individuals that will set him on new adventures.
- Age: 17 years old
- Height: 172 cm
- Affiliation: New Imperial Liberation Front
- Weapon: Special Double Sword
Nadia Rayne: She’s Swin’s partner and a former assassin that escaped from Garden, a malevolent organization, together with him. Furthermore, she supports Swin’s endeavors but is far more calculating and suspicious of others than Swin.
- Age: 15 years old
- Height: 157 cm
- Affiliation: Reborn Imperial Picnic Corps
- Weapons: Needle / Stuffed Toy
Renne Bright: She’s the Student Council President at her prestigious high school and also possesses the abilities of a genius. And when dealing with the Armata mafia, she helps Arkride Solutions Office and the Bracer Association.
- Age: 17 years old
- Height: 164 cm
- Affiliation: Aramis High School
- Weapon: Scythe
Shizuna Rem Misurugi, Kasim Al-Fayed, and Feri Al-Fayed
Shizuna Rem Misurugi: While she possesses an innocent demeanor, she’s a fearsome samurai warrior with incredible sword skills. But during her adventures, she encounters Van and his cohorts and decides to help them out.
- Age: 24 years old
- Height: 170 cm
- Affiliation: Ikaruga
- Weapon: Jet Black Sword
Kasim Al-Fayed: With his incredible strength, he can lift the military-grade buster lance and take on many enemies. And since he’s always cool-headed, it’s difficult for his adversaries to defeat him.
- Age: 28 years old
- Height: 185 cm
- Affiliation: Marduk General Security Company
- Weapon: Military Buster Lance
Feri Al-Fayed: She’s a proud high-ranking hunter of the Kuruga Warriors and values tradition. But due to her young age, she’s sometimes naive and has much to learn about the world.
- Age: 13 years old
- Height: 150 cm
- Affiliation: Arkride Solutions Office / Kuruga Warriors
- Weapon: Assault Bayonet
Mare, Aaron Wei, Risette Twinnings, and Quatre Salision
Mare: She’s a Hollow Core support AI similar to Altera. And she appears in the real world as a hologram but can take over a human’s consciousness in specific situations.
Aaron Wei: He draws attention due to his red hair, which matches his hot-blooded and unpredictable ways. But above all, he’s a master swordsman and martial artist that wants to carve his own path.
- Age: 20 years old
- Height: 175 cm
- Affiliation: Arkride Solutions Office
- Weapon: Twin Star Sword
Risette Twinnings: As a Service Concierge (SC), she’s always polite and has a good sense of humor. Also, her flowing blue hair and maid outfit turn heads.
- Age: 20 years old
- Height: 167 cm
- Affiliation: Arkride Solutions Office / Marduk General Security Company
- Weapon: Handgun / Blade Gear
Quatre Salision: He’s a young researcher that studies at the Republic’s premier academy. Furthermore, he developed XEROS, the mechanical hound that accompanies him and which he controls.
- Age: 16 years old
- Height: 162 cm
- Affiliation: Arkride Solutions Office / Basel University of Science
- Weapon: Pulse Gun / Orbal Drone
Judith Ranster, Nina Fenly, Dominique Ranster, and Latoya Hamilton
Judith Ranster: She’s a friendly individual and a talented actress with many fans. However, her true identity is that of a phantom thief that wants to bring justice to the weak.
- Age: 23 years old
- Height: 165 cm
- Affiliation: Arkride Solutions Office
- Weapon: Meteor Whip
Nina Fenly: She has a half-Eastern background and a natural talent for acting. Also, she’s very professional and ambitious but has a humble side.
- Age: 19 years old
- Height: 163 cm
Dominique Ranster: She’s Judith’s grandmother and also a prolific chanson singer during her younger years. Yet, she’s very active and exerts influence in the entertainment world.
- Age: 69 years old
- Height: 171 cm
Latoya Hamilton: As a leading Orbal Scholar, she possesses vast knowledge that has benefited the Republic. She also took in Quatre and taught him many things that have helped him progress in his studies.
- Age: 74 years old
- Height: 170 cm
Mirabel Aalton, Rene Kincaid, and Zin Vathek
Mirabel Aalton: She’s a Service Concierge (SC), similar to Risette, but her personality is the complete opposite. Nevertheless, she gets along with Risette and others in her professional and private life.
- Age: 22 years old
- Height: 165 cm
- Affiliation: Marduk General Security Company
Rene Kincaid: He’s a competent bureaucrat that doesn’t balk when faced with challenging situations and tasks. Furthermore, he’s childhood friends with Van and Elaine.
- Age: 26 years old
- Height: 181 cm
- Affiliation: Central Ministry of Information / Comprehensive Analysis Office
- Weapon: Military Handgun
Zin Vathek: He’s a master martial artist and an S-Class bracer that has solved many issues outside the Republic. Younger bracers such as Elaine rely on him when dealing with difficult situations.
- Age: 36 years old
- Height: 198 cm
- Affiliation: Calvard Bracer Association
- Weapon: Gauntlets / Gusoku
Ellroy Harwood, Walter Kron, and Lucrezia Isselee
Ellroy Harwood: He’s a malicious individual involved in criminal networks. And because he specializes in criminality, he can go about his business without leaving a trace.
- Age: 47 years old
- Height: 185 cm
- Hobbies: Smoking
- Affiliation: Ouroboros
Walter Kron: Also known as Enforcer No. VIII, Walter possesses great strength but also has a dark past. And he loves nothing more than getting into fights with strong adversaries.
- Age: 37 years old
- Height: 195 cm
- Affiliation: Ouroboros
Lucrezia Isselee: She’s also known as Golden Butterfly and is a former member of an assassination organization, the Order of the Moonlight Horse. Lucrezia covers her face with a black veil that elevates her allure and mystique.
- Age: 30 years old
- Height: 168 cm
- Affiliation: Ouroboros
- Weapon: Dusk Glaive
Grendel Maso Oni and Grendel-Zolga
Grendel Maso Oni: With the help of Mare, Van can transform into a Grendel, which appears like a demonic-looking full-body armor. While in this form, Van’s physical abilities and stats increase substantially.
Grendel-Zolga: A mysterious man wearing a black coat has transformed into Grendel-Zolga with the help of Altera. Moreover, it’s the prime suspect in the murder of CID’s Gamma Squad, but nobody yet knows its true motives.
Who are the voice talent in The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II -CRIMSON SiN?
The latest installment of The Legend of Heroes series sports top-tier voice talent, such as:
- Daisuke Ono as Van Arkride / Grendel Maso Oni
- Miku Ito as Agnes Claudel
- Chiwa Saito as Elaine Auclair
- Fairouz Ai as Celis Ortesia
- Soma Saito as Rion Balthazar
- Gakuto Kajiwara as Swin Abel
- Manaka Iwami as Nadia Rayne
- Aoi Yuuki as Renne Bright
- Maaya Uchida as Shizuna Rem Misurugi
- Yuichiro Umehara as Kasim Al-Fayed
- Yui Ogura as Feri Al-Fayed
- Maria Naganawa as Mare
- Yuma Uchida as Aaron Wei
- Yui Ishikawa as Risette Twinings
- Mutsumi Tamura as Quatre Salision
- Yoko Hikasa as Judith Ranster
- Reina Ueda as Nina Fenly
- Kimiko Saito as Dominique Ranster
- Kikuko Inoue as Latoya Hamilton
- Tsugumi Sakuragi as Mirabel Aalton
- Jun Fukuyama as Rene Kincaid
- Toru Inada as Zin Vathek
- Takaya Kuroda as Ellroy Harwood
- Takahiro Yoshimizu as Walter Kron
- Kana Ueda as Lucrezia Isselee
Will Kuro no Kiseki II be worth the wait?
The short answer is a clear yes! And that’s because the first installment, The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki, received a Famitsu review score of 34/40 [9/8/8/9].
That’s a significantly high score for one of Japan’s most authoritative video game publications, which scores each game by having four reviewers each give a rating from 0 to 10, with ten only issued to the highest quality games.
And from what we’ve already seen, Kuro no Kiseki II should be a more epic and refined adventure than the first. So, it could be a better title overall, and given Nihon Falcom’s track record of releasing quality JRPGs at a regular cadence — this is a realistic outcome.
While the long wait may prove tiresome for some, there are many quality JRPGs that gamers can sink their teeth into at the moment, such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3 or even the retro compilation of titles found in the Record of Lodoss War Chronicle.
But we hope to hear positive news about the localization of The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II. Hopefully, sooner than later. Stay tuned!