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Namco Bandai confirmed with IGN today that the latest installment of its popular RPG franchise, Tales of the World, would be coming out in North America this summer. As RPG fans ourselves we wanted know even more, so we gave our friends at Namco Bandai a shout to see if they could answer a couple of our questions...
IGN: What's the central storyline in Tales of the World and who are the main characters?
Namco Bandai: The main story takes place in the beautiful and prosperous ancient land of Terresia as it is being destroyed by the Devourer, a demonic creature from another planet. The World Tree, which created and protected this magical land, is wasting away from the Devourer's continuous attacks. The World Tree uses what is left of its strength to call on the last hope for a world in a dark battle of survival.
Players will start the game by creating their own character. So, for the first time in the series, the main character is not a created Tales character. Instead, the main character is actually the player. The cast of main characters is quite deep, but we do not wish to spoil too much for anyone who is a fan of the Tales of series. In short, characters that weave in and out of the Tales of World story are all memorable and engaging.
The game has characters from just about every previous installment out there. Chester, Leon, Reid, Senel, Rain, and a number of other players from various titles will make appearances.
IGN: How will a cast this big tie into the storyline and where does the plot fit into the "big picture" of the "Tales" mythos?
NB: The story this time involves the Tales of characters taking place in the world of Terresia. What takes place in this world will go beyond the boundaries of the interaction taking place between the various characters in the series. Although the story is set in a completely new setting this time, I believe you will still find the same unique characteristics of previous Tales of characters from the series to be unchanged.
IGN: With so many connections to other stories, is ToW meant for experienced fans of the franchise or are those connections vague enough for new people who may never have played a Tales game before?
NB: The storyline for Tales of the World is original and a new chapter to the Tales of series. However, like all other Tales of chapters in the series, it is unrelated to previous installments in the series. For those unfamiliar to the Tales of series, the rich storyline and gameplay mechanics will still be very enjoyable and fun to experience. However, being able to relive memories of previous episodes and to interact with their favorite characters from past installments one more time will certainly be a bonus for experienced fans.
IGN: One of the things that makes Tales of the World interesting is the Flex Range LM Battle System (seen in Tales of the Abyss). Will it be exactly the system in Abyss or will it have some unique new elements as well? Can you explain some of those differences for us and give us a general overview of the combat for those that might not be familiar with how it works?
NB: Yes, the battle system is the same Flex Range LM Battle System from Tales of the Abyss. However, the Unison Attacks are similar to the ones from Tales of Symphonia. One of the key features of the Tales of series is the use of an active battle system versus the conventional turn-based system so commonly found in most games of this genre. In short, the battle system is more similar to a fighting game. Similar to Tales of the Abyss, the player will be able to roam freely in the battle field. Strategy will become vital to each battle as players will have to carefully plan the positions of their characters, block or avoid enemies' attacks, as well as help their teammates in order to maximize team combos.
IGN: Past PS2 games have allowed users with Multitaps to join in and fight enemies with up to four people at a time. Will TotW take advantage of ad hoc in the same way?
NB: Players will be able to trade items with one another via ad hoc. However, they will not be able to participate in multiplayer battles this time. We have considered including this feature in our next installment if the chance for a sequel exist.
IGN: What sort of Infrastructure support can we expect?
NB: Unfortunately, the US version will not have infrastructure support.
IGN: Are you making any improvements for the North American version compared to the Japanese edition?
NB: For the US version, players will be able to use Grade Points they have earned in battle to purchase special items or equipment. In addition, the variety of items dropped by monsters has also greatly increased. On the same note, we have adjusted the level of difficulty of the monsters to match the rate of items dropped to maximize the enjoyment of game play. In all, the US version of Tales of the World will be slightly more tuned than the over seas version.
IGN: How long has the game been in development and was it always for the PSP?
NB: The game has been in development for a year and a half now. If you also count the conceptualization of the game and the design, then the development period is actually a little over two years. We had plans to make this for the PSP from the very start.
IGN: What separates Tales of the World from the other games in the series
NB: On the surface, it may seem that Tales of the World is about the cameo appearances of various characters from the series. Like other Tales of in the series, we have a strong storyline we intend the player to experience. However, as players go through our story, they will find the opportunity to explore previously visited dungeons and have the chance to search for rare items that will ultimately increase the level of their characters while they advance through the story. In this sense, the player is able to customize and raise their character to their liking. In other words, Tales of the World is the game with the highest amount of freedom in the series.
IGN:Can we expect to see the other PSP Tales titles, Eternia, Phantasia, and Destiny 2 come to our shores as well?
NB: Although I do not have details as to whether other PSP Tales titles will be reaching the shores of the US at this point, I can say that such possibilities do indeed exist.
IGN: Any parting words you'd have for IGN readers who are still on the fence?
NB: I believe the core component to making the Tales series a great one is the unique and unforgettable characters. Even more so, it is the overall balance of an epic storyline combined with the fact that it is an RPG with an exciting active battle system all at once. It is the combination and the unique balance of these elements that make this series stand out from other RPGs.
For those not familiar with the Tales of series, please do pick up a copy of Tales of the World. It has everything great that the series has to offer compacted into one UMD. Please do take this opportunity to experience the Tales series for yourself; as it might hopefully spark an interest for other installments in the series as well.
