Tales of Symphonia

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

has anyone played it?

[Chris]

No! But I really want to. :(

[NM]

has anyone played it?

Yes. :p

[Pure Strife]

Aye. T'rocked my arse, so to speak.

[edczxcvbnm]

The best RPG I have played this generation.

[XxSephirothxX]

The battle system was extremely good and very, very enjoyable. The story, on the other hand, really sucked, and the dungeons weren't very well done either.

[GooeyToast]

Yes, the story definetly sucked MAJOR arse. You could tell they completely ripped off FF10, and pretty much every other rpg cliche.

The characters to me felt boring and lifeless, nobody really worth rememboring or caring about. Just average on that part.

As a whole, i felt the game was very disappointing, and it just didn't appeal to me in any way like the ff series or kingdom hearts did. Just my opinion.....

[Excelsior]

easily the best RPG of whatever year it came out in. and im not sure, but i think the only other RPG that i can even remember from that year was FFX-2. and we all know what a huge piece of crap that turned out to be.

X-2 might have actually come out ealier in the previous year, but you get what im talking about.

[Lindy]

Yes, the story definetly sucked MAJOR arse. You could tell they completely ripped off FF10, and pretty much every other rpg cliche.

The characters to me felt boring and lifeless, nobody really worth rememboring or caring about. Just average on that part.

As a whole, i felt the game was very disappointing, and it just didn't appeal to me in any way like the ff series or kingdom hearts did. Just my opinion.....

So, FFX didn't have any RPG cliches at all? OH NO FORBIDDEN LOVE.

ToS' story was pretty different from FFX, since FFX was a matter of beating some huge enemy after gaining random summon powers, whereas ToS was about regenerating the world, something that changed rather swiftly, but it took a whole damn boring game in FFX before anyone said "HOW ABOUT WE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT?". Only a pretty damn small portion of the game is at all similar to FFX, you must have just been too short sighted to have seen that fact.

Boring, lifeless characters? Where the backstory of each and every one of them is explained, where every character participates in the story sequences and always has something useful to say? Oh sure, FF was great with that with the one random thing Generic Old Guy #3 said, or when Generic Young Hero #2 decided to speak out against injustice.

So, all in all, from what you've said, you clearly only played the first few hours of the game, probably found the combat too hard as, SHOCK HORROR, it wasn't turn based and then gave up and went back to another generic FF game. HOORAY FOR YOU, you don't deserve to play ToS anyway, it's too good for you.

[Rase]

Yes, I played it. That reminds me, I need to get back to that. I dunno why, I just suddenly stopped playing it. :shame:

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Been meaning to pick up the strategy guide so I can run through it again and get all the secrets. I enjoyed it quite a bit, though the first part was reminescent of FFX, it was a good game that easily stands on its own two feet. I love the battle system.

[XxSephirothxX]

So, FFX didn't have any RPG cliches at all? OH NO FORBIDDEN LOVE.

ToS' story was pretty different from FFX, since FFX was a matter of beating some huge enemy after gaining random summon powers, whereas ToS was about regenerating the world, something that changed rather swiftly, but it took a whole damn boring game in FFX before anyone said "HOW ABOUT WE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT?". Only a pretty damn small portion of the game is at all similar to FFX, you must have just been too short sighted to have seen that fact.

Boring, lifeless characters? Where the backstory of each and every one of them is explained, where every character participates in the story sequences and always has something useful to say? Oh sure, FF was great with that with the one random thing Generic Old Guy #3 said, or when Generic Young Hero #2 decided to speak out against injustice.

So, all in all, from what you've said, you clearly only played the first few hours of the game, probably found the combat too hard as, SHOCK HORROR, it wasn't turn based and then gave up and went back to another generic FF game. HOORAY FOR YOU, you don't deserve to play ToS anyway, it's too good for you.

That seems a little harsh. I wouldn't really compare the game to FFX, but I would say that it was pretty cliched. Worse, the story was pretty predictable and at times seemed to be trying to throw in some big twists for profound results but wasn't quite able to pull it off.
The characterization was decent, but not good enough to make me care much about any of the characters. I was also actually surprised by how easy I found the game. I read numerous reviews stating the battles were very hard, but I only remember dying a few times throughout the entire game.

[edczxcvbnm]

Reviewers today suck at games. They are no better than jimmy in the 2nd grade. Every game that isn't a complete cake walk is hard to them.

I thought that the story was very well put together with good character development. It was cliche as hell but that didn't stop them from tell those cliches better than most people. I already knew most of what would probably go down in the game before I picked it up due to my prior experience with previous Tales of games.

One thing I really liked about the game was the new game plus system. Just great as they don't make it super easy but allow you to pick and choose certain things to carry over.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

The real hard part about the battles is getting your Grade high enough to be able to carry over what you want.

[Alixsar]

I have played it. The graphics are very good. The voice acting is terrible, but it does have Robin from Teen Titans voicing the main character. That's kind of neat. The story is awful, and gets incredibly preachy towards the end. I lost count of the number of times each character gave a speech about how everyone deserves equal rights. It gets really irritating. None of the characters are all that interesting or original, and there's a lot of stiff and awkward sequences (like people dying and the voice clip of the guy going "ugh!" not synching up). It's kind of dumb.

But the gameplay itself is great, albeit a bit repetitive. Basically, it's the same as any of the other Tales games. Good gameplay, good graphics, and average or worse everything else.

[Lindy]

If you've played ToP, you'll notice some nice touches in ToS, since ToS is far in the past of the world of ToP. Things like...

When Lloyd and Colette are talking about Treant's Forest, and how they hope everyone can see it in the future, it remains exactly the same as it was in the future, still not allowing half-elves in, still needing the king's permission to enter Heimdall and the Ymir Forest.

Or

Lloyd uses the Vorpal Sword and Flamberge to split the power of the Eternal Sword, in ToP, Cless and Klarth use Origin to reforge the Vorpal Sword and Flamberge back into the Eternal Sword for him to use and reveal Dhaos' castle which exists out of time and space, much like Cruxis.

[Excelsior]

i did not know this game was at all related to phantasia. but then again, i never beat phantasia. so, are u supposed to know what lloyd names the tree at the end of the game?

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Probably not. My guess is Muffin :D

[Lindy]

i did not know this game was at all related to phantasia. but then again, i never beat phantasia. so, are u supposed to know what lloyd names the tree at the end of the game?

Well, Lloyd names it Yggdrasil, out of respect for Mithos (and also because the tree of life is called Yggdrasil in mythology and we can't break from that now can we!, and then when you see it again in ToP you meet Martel, who lives inside the tree of mana which is dying because people have been wasting mana on wars and making weapons

[GooeyToast]

So, FFX didn't have any RPG cliches at all? OH NO FORBIDDEN LOVE.

ToS' story was pretty different from FFX, since FFX was a matter of beating some huge enemy after gaining random summon powers, whereas ToS was about regenerating the world, something that changed rather swiftly, but it took a whole damn boring game in FFX before anyone said "HOW ABOUT WE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT?". Only a pretty damn small portion of the game is at all similar to FFX, you must have just been too short sighted to have seen that fact.

Boring, lifeless characters? Where the backstory of each and every one of them is explained, where every character participates in the story sequences and always has something useful to say? Oh sure, FF was great with that with the one random thing Generic Old Guy #3 said, or when Generic Young Hero #2 decided to speak out against injustice.

So, all in all, from what you've said, you clearly only played the first few hours of the game, probably found the combat too hard as, SHOCK HORROR, it wasn't turn based and then gave up and went back to another generic FF game. HOORAY FOR YOU, you don't deserve to play ToS anyway, it's too good for you.

That seems a little harsh. I wouldn't really compare the game to FFX, but I would say that it was pretty cliched. Worse, the story was pretty predictable and at times seemed to be trying to throw in some big twists for profound results but wasn't quite able to pull it off.
The characterization was decent, but not good enough to make me care much about any of the characters. I was also actually surprised by how easy I found the game. I read numerous reviews stating the battles were very hard, but I only remember dying a few times throughout the entire game.

Thank you Azar, for backing up my point. LIKE I SAID, ToS was VERY full of cliches and also pretty poor VO. Sure, ffX had cliches, but what rpg doesn't? The only differnce with ToS was that the story was like a mass jumble of every other rpg out there, nothing original.

And as for finding the combat "too hard" and "not turned-base", the combat for me wasn't hard at all, and as a matter-of-fact, i've played more action/rpgs and non-turned-based rpgs than i have regular.

Finally, i played more than 17 hours of the game without much happening at all, while i went through basic designed dungeons with mediocre "puzzles" and constantly fighting the same enemies OVER AND OVER AGAIN, so you can't say the game is "too good for me", because I've been there and played that.

Next time, Lindy, before you explode on somebody for not liking a simple video game, you might want to make sure what you're saying is true, and not truely opinional. :mad2:

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

I'm only 7 hours in, I just got to the "mosouleum" something like that. And I want to know, later in the game, does somebody give Kratos more money than you already paid him, so he can destroy you?

[XxSephirothxX]

I'm only 7 hours in, I just got to the "mosouleum" something like that. And I want to know, later in the game, does somebody give Kratos more money than you already paid him, so he can destroy you?

Or, you could play the game like it's designed and not find out major plot points.

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

It's just an assumption, might as well say it, or I shall find out anyways elseware. The story IS too predictable.

[NM]

If you really want to know, Lone Wolf Leonhart i'll tell you. Kratos does turn on you, but it's not for money, he has other motives.

The plot for me is very similar to FFX as well. A chosen one and her group of protectors visiting shrines to pray to save the world, as told by religious teachings. Someone having to sacrifice themselves for the good of everyone else. Someone else not agreeing with that, and finding another way, to save the world and keep the other person alive. If that isn't Final Fantasy X's plot copied, then what is! Alright there are other elements to the story, but the basic plot is the same as FFX.

As for predictable plot. I'll agree with that. I figured out something about Kratos in the first couple hours of the game, thats finally revealed in the last few hours, of the story.

[Lindy]

Unlike FFX, the plot completely changes from the "group of protectors and a chosen one" style a short way in, and the rest of the game is a matter of exacting change, rather than it happening RIGHT at the end of FFX.

In fact, the FFX-style section only occurs for a short portion of the first disc.

All of your are proclaiming that this game copied FFX when you're basing it on a tiny portion of the game, it's a HUGE game, with a massive story. Try looking at the rest of the story before you claim it copied FFX, which by the way, copied enough damn games already anyway.

World regeneration is VERY different from just collecting summons and going to destroy a giant monster that's after the world, it's a matter of the world itself breaking down rather than a giant monster exacting damage upon everyone.


Next time, Lindy, before you explode on somebody for not liking a simple video game, you might want to make sure what you're saying is true, and not truely opinional.
Next time, why don't you play more of a game and actually more of the story before you try and claim that it completely copied something else, and it doesn't take 17 hours before you get into the change in plot anyway, you must be pretty bad at it if you're playing it THAT slowly.

I stand by the fact that the game is too good for you, go back to playing your poor quality, overproduced FF games and enjoy mediocrity.

[GooeyToast]

If you think FF games are of "poor quality" and are "overproduced", then why the hell are you on a FF fan site?!!!

Also, you can't take the fact away that it did definetly copy FFX, even if it was for a "little while".

I don't know, maybe I will pick it up again when i'm done with all my other rpgs, but as for now i don't feel any real need to go pick it up. It just didn't appeal to me that much.

[Lindy]

Why am I on an FF fan site? Because I USED to like the games, they've just steadily turned into crap. If you look, I never post in the FF forums, so good one with that argument there, I'm not allowed to have an opinion about FF being bad on an FF site? Genius, purely so.

Secondly, even if the story was "copied" from FFX, it was better, considering how deeply it went into it, for example, Yuna went to pray at certain locations, blah blah blah, Colette goes to certain locations to unlock seals on the world, and with each seal unlocked, she slowly becomes an angel and loses the ability to feel anything, the need to eat, her voice and eventually her soul. Now did that latter part happen in FFX? NOPE.

You're just basing it on the fact that Colette is going around with a group of protectors to save the world, even though it's for a totally different reason than in FFX, approached in a totally different way, and takes up only a small portion of the game.

Well whoop de doo, no other game has had a chosen one following around the world with a group of protectors, NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AT ALL.

FFX has copied games before it, which copied games before that, which has copied games before that.

It's a general story idea, it doesn't BELONG to FFX, and it was written and performed in a totally different way from FFX as well, with totally different character styles.

So the only link is a chosen one and a group of protectors, oh yeah, really copied.

[GooeyToast]

Why am I on an FF fan site? Because I USED to like the games, they've just steadily turned into crap. If you look, I never post in the FF forums, so good one with that argument there, I'm not allowed to have an opinion about FF being bad on an FF site? Genius, purely so.

Well, maybe it's a good thing that you never post in the FF area. I'm sure you'd proabably go crazy on anybody there who simply disagreed with you about a game.

You know, I don't at all mind people who dislike FF, because they probably have their own reasons for not liking it, just as i have my reasons for not liking ToS. But, when you act like you're 100% right and constantly feel you have to prove your point with BIG CAPITAL LETTERS and sarchasim, then that's just being an @$$hole about it.


It's a general story idea, it doesn't BELONG to FFX, and it was written and performed in a totally different way from FFX as well, with totally different character styles.

Yeah, most of the characters may have been different from X, but what about other FF's? To me, Kratos seemed an awfully lot like Cloud (the spiky hair, the big sword, he's not exactly the talkative type, he's a mercenary!!!) and a mix of Auron (he is very calm and relaxed, he seems to always offer words of wisdom, he lets his sword do the talkin'). And i know you can say that both Cloud and Auron were not original in any way, and that they too were based off other rpg characters, but to tell you the truth, how many other spikey-haired, silent mercenaries with a big sword were there before Cloud? I'm pretty sure he was the pioneer for all of those types of characters to come.

Now, can we just stop it at that, please? I'm getting tired of arguing with you over a simple thing like a game. I'm sure we both proved our points on the issue, and, quite frankly, i'm getting tired of typing on it. :D

[Lindy]

Kratos was ACTUALLY based on Dias Flac from Star Ocean : The Second Story, their image and fighting styles are very similar, as is their demeanour.

This is simply because the people who made Star Ocean and Star Ocean 2 (Tri-Ace) were an off-shoot of Wolf Team that made ToP and then the concurrent Tales games.

It was a subtle nod to their friends over the water at Tri-Ace.

And I dislike it when people form an opinion when they've played a minimal portion of a game's story when it runs to a truly epic scale.

I'd say it was a pretty huge achievement if ToS can copy FFX's story and manage to fit it into the first few hours and then expand onto a much larger and more interesting set of events.

It also doesn't say much about the story of FFX if it can be crunched into a few hours of gameplay in terms of story.

So you decide, is ToS good at compressing a story, or does FFX just have a godawful one?

[XxSephirothxX]

I think people often read too deeply into characters and video games. Some of threads on this site are crazy like that. :D I don't think Kratos is in any way based on Cloud. For instance, Lloyd is a kid, uses swords, and wants to protect people. Does that make him like Tidus? Maybe a bit. But it certainly doesn't make him BASED on Tidus.

[Lindy]

Lloyd is much akin to Cless, Colette is much akin to Mint, both characters from ToP, which is a fair point to base characters on since it was an earlier game in the series.

I'm sure there's some kind of basis for all of the characters from other Tales games too.

But EVERY DAMN HERO is either obsessed with justice and protecting people, or at first doesn't care and the ends up being obsessed with justice and protecting people.

You'd be hard pushed to find a different hero-archtype.

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

If you really want to know, Lone Wolf Leonhart i'll tell you. Kratos does turn on you, but it's not for money, he has other motives.

The plot for me is very similar to FFX as well. A chosen one and her group of protectors visiting shrines to pray to save the world, as told by religious teachings. Someone having to sacrifice themselves for the good of everyone else. Someone else not agreeing with that, and finding another way, to save the world and keep the other person alive. If that isn't Final Fantasy X's plot copied, then what is! Alright there are other elements to the story, but the basic plot is the same as FFX.

As for predictable plot. I'll agree with that. I figured out something about Kratos in the first couple hours of the game, thats finally revealed in the last few hours, of the story.Does He ever join with you again after that?

[Lindy]

You get a replacement for Kratos in a while, but much later on in the game you get a choice between Kratos and the new fellow.

At a point MUCH later on in the game when NEITHER of these two are in your party, you'll come to a town called Flanoir, and people will come to comfort Lloyd. Refuse every single one of them, and the last person to appear will be Kratos, or accept any of them and the other fellow who joins you will stay and Kratos will never come back.

You may think now you want Kratos back, but wait for the new guy, he's much more fun.

[Luc]

Yeah, I chose Kratos at first. =/

On my next playthrough, I'll probably pick the other dude.

And in case you still can't tell.. yes, I've played this game, beat it, and loved it.

[Fireblade13]

Is it at all turn based or is it X-2 hit the attack button until all are dead ordeal. I think X had a perfect story line and I can't see it being remade and extended. I am saying this because I was deciding between LOTF:the third age and TOS. i love turn based which is why my FFCC is gathering dust and I won't buy X-2.

[Rase]

Nope, it real time, in a sense. You see the monsters you fight on the world/dungeon map, and when you touch them it opens the battle screen. However, all the attacks/things you do during battle occur in real time, but are still a breeze to pull off, thanks to it's control scheme, which is great in my opinion. It's quite unique, which is one of the reasons why I like it.

[Fireblade13]

So its like Paper Marios touch battles mixed with Quests 64's real life battle with hint of X-2 non turn battle?

[Destai]

I bought it a week ago and right now Im fighting Kilia or that Desian posing as her.The story was slow to start off but its growing on me. Its better than your average RPG if you ask me.

[Chris]

Still not better than Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.

[Destai]

Still not better than Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.Yeah Chris, good to know ;)

[Black Mage]

Everyone needs to listen to Lindy more often. He's right.

Final Fantasy X and Tales of Symphonia really aren't the same. Thankfully so, since FFX was terrible. But, I don't intend to argue that, since I'm not going to change any minds.

However, one thing I found particularly interesting about connections between ToP and ToS was:
In Tales of Phantasia, if you check a bookshelf in Alvanista's Castle [In the Past], you learn about the world's two moons: Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. Of course, as those of you reading this know, are the two worlds of Tales of Symphonia. Though this breaks continuity to some extent, it's a nice nod to Tales of Phantasia.

I'm a fan of little things like that.

Anyways, I've heard a few negative comments about the voice actors in Tales of Symphonia, and to be honest, I thought they were great. Certainly a more believable performance than many other highly praised games that I may, or may not have mentioned earlier in this post.

While not my favorite game, Tales of Symphonia was a wonderful game, and is easily one of my favorites.

[Destai]

If you think tales of symphonia and FFX are releated then you clearly havent played much of the game. Tales of Symphonias plot goes much much deeper than FFX and becomes slightly FFVish. But theres also all the complications with the renegades, The Desians true purpose, Kratos's hidden agenda, The great seed, The flow of mana and I dont have a clue whats happening with that young boy named Mithos wether hes a reincarnation or something along those lines and I havent even passed the first disc. The games story is much longer and deeper than FFX and goes off in a totally different direction in a short time.
(the voice acting in Tales of Symphonia wasnt anything special and I thought X's was pretty good)

[Carl the Llama]

akg you horrible people you have forced me to play ToS again :D

[RSL]

I don't really get into RPGs that much anymore, but I did play this one about a year ago (I think, whenever it came out.) I loved it. People have knocked the story for being typical RPG cliche etc. etc. but I was pretty captivated by it.

I didn't really find much fault with the game, really. Reading through this thread has made me want to play it again! Oh, and I agree with pretty much everything Lindy has said.

[Destai]

You get a replacement for Kratos in a while, but much later on in the game you get a choice between Kratos and the new fellow.

At a point MUCH later on in the game when NEITHER of these two are in your party, you'll come to a town called Flanoir, and people will come to comfort Lloyd. Refuse every single one of them, and the last person to appear will be Kratos, or accept any of them and the other fellow who joins you will stay and Kratos will never come back.

You may think now you want Kratos back, but wait for the new guy, he's much more fun.You mean Zelos right? I havent gotten that far yet.

[Fireblade13]

I rented it and got to the Mausoleum but I skipped thoda dock not knowing where it is.
This game is a huge copycat so far but I don't care because its the best of everything and I love it.
Desians-Nazi
Human Ranch-Concentration camps
Lloyd-Tidus for being Nieve and a hero
Kratos-check last name
The graphics though do a good job at cartoonish and the battle system can't be beat! This was -10 times better than crystal chronicles!
[-1*10=10 out of 10]

[edczxcvbnm]

Zelos is mah hero. He was so much fun and he was player to the max yo!

[Lindy]

I rented it and got to the Mausoleum but I skipped thoda dock not knowing where it is.
This game is a huge copycat so far but I don't care because its the best of everything and I love it.
Desians-Nazi
Human Ranch-Concentration camps
Lloyd-Tidus for being Nieve and a hero
Kratos-check last name
The graphics though do a good job at cartoonish and the battle system can't be beat! This was -10 times better than crystal chronicles!
[-1*10=10 out of 10]
Haha.

HAHAHAHA.

Ok, I know you like it, but lets get this over with.

1. Having played so little you're really not gonna understand much of the story yet, and thus the whole "Nazi" comment isn't gonna fit after you've progressed in the game.
2. Lloyd is nothing like Tidus, he's not cocky or brash, he doesn't play some dumb underwater football game, he's a kid and carries a totally different set of values. Oh, and he's not naive either.
3. Kratos' last name is AURION, which is a translation error on the name Alvein I think, which is the last name of the hero, Cless, in Tales of Phantasia.
4. I don't think you can say any game has stolen from Final Fantasy, when it has to be one of the most unoriginal game sereii in terms of storyline.

[Destai]

Neither Kratos or Auron have very original personalities (Both theyre personalities suck). Theres one of them in every second RPG, and Tales of Phantasia has been around alot longer than Auron. Most FF games never come out with something blatantly unoriginal but theyre not too original either. There nice solid storylines with enjoyable characters, graphic and music. Its not unoriginal at all.

[Lindy]

Ah, FF games, so long ago they were my one love.

Solid story? Yes.
Almost exactly the same as every FF game prior to it, only with characters changed? Yes.

Eh, they're still fun, that I'll admit, but they're nothing special in story terms.

Oh, and Kratos has an awful lot more to him that Auron, and it's a LOT better than that "OMG I AM ACTUALLY DEAD" rubbish.

[Destai]

Ah, FF games, so long ago they were my one love.

Solid story? Yes.
Almost exactly the same as every FF game prior to it, only with characters changed? Yes.

Eh, they're still fun, that I'll admit, but they're nothing special in story terms.Theyre similar in different parts of each FF's storyline at best. I think its fair to say theyre never blatantly recycled as far as the plot goes. Unless you mean battle system or something along those lines.

[Lindy]

Most of FF7 was pretty blatantly recycled from FF6 actually.

[Serria]

I'm playing ToS right now, and liking it for the most part... I'm not TOO far in but... some of the characters seem a little weak. Especially Collette, I really don't like her much. But well, we'll see. Oh, and it does seem a lot like FFX right now... but that's okay. I guess.

Lindy - I don't think FF7 is anything like FF6. Except maybe the fact that Aeris is half Cetra and Terra is half Esper. Kefka is nothing like Sephiroth, nothing at all. FF6 has no love triangle. ...Honestly I'm thinking and I can't think of many similarities at all except

1. Both games are about saving the world (...durr...)
2. Both games contain air ships (...durr...)
3. Both games contain chocobos (do you see where I'm going with this?)

The worlds are completely different, the stories are completely different. They both contain some similar character cliches (Shadow-Vincent, Relm-Yuffie, etc) but most games have that. I'm not seeing where you're coming from.

I thought Auron had a very interesting character... he doesn't really open up much, but the flashbacks that show him younger explain the type of person he is a lot more, I think.

[Lindy]

FF6 has no love triangle.
Locke with Terra and Celes, just that it's cleared up without either of them dying. Heck, the whole thing with Aeris and Tifa is horribly similar to Terra and Celes, even the characters are similar, Terra and Aeris that whole kind, sacrificing thing hiding ultimate power, and Celes and Tifa being the "tough one hiding a kind heart", etc.

Rebel groups and world spanning empires, much of the "stealing the power of ultimate beings to be all powerful" too, though Kefka actually manages it while Sephiroth just sort of tries to do it...slowly.

Major event, then you're left to run around the world saving various people and places, until you're finally reunited with the main character, yup happens in FF6 and FF7, of course slowly gaining power for all your characters as you do so.

The splitting into three parties to take on three boss parts is something that started in FF6 and then spread onto FF7 and FF8.

A lot of the general concepts and styles were taken from FF6 and used in FF7, not just the story copied but a lot of other things as well.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

There's more, but I'm just going on what I remember from playing it a long time ago and the discussions I had with friends about it that are starting to come back to me.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

New rule: Unless you've beaten the game you cannot say "It's like FFX". Because you don't know anything :D

Kratos's personality is actually a lot deeper than Auron's, but it takes some time to get all the way into it. One of the things I would have liked to have seen was more on the dwarves, as you only encounter two in the entire game.

[Lindy]

There are only two dwarves because, they are, the only two dwarves left.

Every other dwarf is dead, they're the last of a dying race, the only other is Origin, King of the Dwarves, though it annoyed me how he just looks really really dumb in ToS compared to his ToP self.

I would have LOVED if the Moria Gallery had been in the game though, since that was built by the Dwarves and appears in ToP, which is the future world of ToS, so I dunno why it isn't in this.

Or is behind that door in the mine where you go with Regal? I forget...

[Black Mage]

Minor Tales of Symphonia spoilers.

Well, my take on the Morlia Gallery was that it was the mine you go to with Regal.

However, that was my initial reaction. But, in Tales of Phantasia, you find out that the Morlia Gallery was created by the Dwarves, and for some reason or another, I believe Regal's company created that mine. I can't remember any mention of the Dwarves creating that mine mentioned in ToS for the life of me, but I could be wrong.

As for the sealed door fiasco, I think that's just where they were storing the Ex-Spheres. I can't remember for certain, but I believe that's said in the story.

Though, the Morlia Gallery was such a pain in the ass in ToP, I'm almost happy it wasn't in there. Almost.

[Lindy]

For a start, you know there are spoiler tags, right?

But Regal's mine would make sense, since it's about the only place that could be it.

AND HOW CAN YOU HATE THE MORIA GALLERY?

It was like, the most fun part of ToP, I loved it, aside from finding the Gold Armour in that flashing room on one of the lowest floors, it was great, especially the prizes at the end. You finished the hardest dungeon in the game and you got the best items in the game.

Just like fighting Abyssion for the Devil Arms, beat the hardest boss in the game and you get the best weapons.

[Black Mage]

Yes, I do know about the tags, it's just I didn't think well of it to put a whole post in the tags. I went and changed it, anyway.

I do agree, the Regal's mine is the only place the Morlia Gallery could be. In the same way that Flanoir is the only place that could be Freezekill. It's just the minor aspects of it that bother me, I suppose. It is more than likely the Morlia Gallery.

And as for the Morlia Gallery in Tales of Phantasia, I should have been more specific. I, personally, disliked the first visit to the Morlia Gallery. The initial ten floors, while I liked the whole Maxwell scene, it was just encounter hell. That is, when I played Tales of Phantasia the first time, I went there before going after Undine and Efreet, thus becoming stuck. But, that's just my feelings, I was a bit sour when I learned the Sorcerer's Ring was elsewhere.

But, as for the floors beyond the tenth, I had a blast. I loved it, and thought it made a great "extra" dungeon.

[Lindy]

Oh well that is fair enough, unless you level up loads beforehand, the the lower levels of Morlia, as well as getting all the Spirits was a bit of a bugger, it was fun though, but still.

And you have to remember, ToP's world is Sylvarant and Tethe'alla combined, so things would be changed, geography and whatnot, I mean the fact that there's a kingdom called Sylvarant is a sign of that for a start (or am I forgetting and confusing it with the Sylvarant in Star Ocean, Wolf Team/Tri Ace copied so much of Star Ocean from ToP I get confused XD).

Getting the ToS worlds to totally link up exactly with ToP would be an incredible endeavour, and I think that a pretty good job has been done of it.

Except that I was disgusted that the forest in Heimdall was called the Torrent Forest, it's TREANT YOU LOCALISATION FAILURES!

[Destai]

So in the storylines time line, Which came first? Phantasia or Symphonia?

[Black Mage]

Storyline wise, Tales of Symphonia comes way before Tales of Phantasia.
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Sylvarant was a continent/kingdom in Star Ocean. Sylvarant, and Tethe'alla for that matter, are just moons in Tales of Phantasia.

But, I do agree the connections between Tales of Symphonia and Tales of Phantasia were rather well done. It was a very nice treat, especially because I had no idea when I bought the game. Though, it's a shame a lot of that is lost on those who haven't played Tales of Phantasia.

And yeah, the Treant - Torrent was a rather sad mistake, though I guess understandable, from the Katakana. Also, I thought I'd clear something up about Kratos' last name. It's actually Aurion, and not Alvein.

クラトス・アウリオン
Kratos Aurion

クレス・アルベイン
Cless Alvein

[Lindy]

Yeah, I see that as boxes not as Japanese, even though I have language support on my computer, fantastic.

I did say it was Aurion, but if you think about it, it could easily work to Alvein.

A L V E I N
A V L I E N
A U L I E N
A U R I E N
A U R I O N

PLUS, Cless wields the Eternal Sword in ToP, doesn't he? Sneaky link there, if you remember how it worked in ToS.

[Carl the Llama]

Locke with Terra and Celes, just that it's cleared up without either of them dying. Heck, the whole thing with Aeris and Tifa is horribly similar to Terra and Celes, even the characters are similar, Terra and Aeris that whole kind, sacrificing thing hiding ultimate power, and Celes and Tifa being the "tough one hiding a kind heart", etc.
1. Tifa isnt a "tough on hiding a kind heart" she is always affectioate to cloud and the party and 2. there isnt a love triangle with Locke as his love is that sleeping woman (anna i thnk her name is) and he doesnt ever want to fail again or somthing like that (i haven't played the game in ages) and 3. Areis wasn't hiding her power she jus didnt want other people to suffer her fate and... ya know.

Rebel groups and world spanning empires, much of the "stealing the power of ultimate beings to be all powerful" too, though Kefka actually manages it while Sephiroth just sort of tries to do it...slowly.
the life stream is not a sentinent being therefor he isnt trying to steal the power from it, rather he is trying to become a god through the power of the lifestream

Major event, then you're left to run around the world saving various people and places, until you're finally reunited with the main character, yup happens in FF6 and FF7, of course slowly gaining power for all your characters as you do so.
one of the main things i loved about 6 was the fact that Terra (altho she was important) was not the main character: the was no main character you could actully complete the game without haveing her in your party so that to me says the she was not the main character
[
The splitting into three parties to take on three boss parts is something that started in FF6 and then spread onto FF7 and FF8.
in Final Fantasy VII you did not split into 3 partys and in VIII you didnt either (when a character died they were replaced with another random charater) so no its nothing like that

A lot of the general concepts and styles were taken from FF6 and used in FF7, not just the story copied but a lot of other things as well.
an age old saying goes somthing like this "if it aint broke dont fix it"

[Summoner _Sheena]

I love it. It's my all time favorite game.

[Destai]

I passed it three or so hours ago. It was very good for the most part. Does anyone know what was the kharlan tree renamed as? And when Lloyd united tethella and Sylvarant are the people who flash on the screen during the anime cut scene the people from Tales of Phantasia? One of them look similar to the pictures of Cless I googled.

[crashNUMBERS]

Yeah. ToS rockz. But I don't own it. I borrowed from a friend so I never finished it...

[StarlightAngel]

Does anyone know what was the kharlan tree renamed as?

He named it Yggdrasil. After all, the tree of life in... I think its Norsh mythology? Either way, the tree of life was Yggdrasil, so... XD

[Crossblades]

I love this game. I love Tales of Phantasia as well