Note: To avoid making a huge poll, count the sequels and such in with the main title
I have played Xillia, Xillia 2, and Abyss. I have Symphonia to play and I hope to play Vesperia soon enough
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Note: To avoid making a huge poll, count the sequels and such in with the main title
I have played Xillia, Xillia 2, and Abyss. I have Symphonia to play and I hope to play Vesperia soon enough
Truly, if there is evil in this world,
It lies within the heart of mankind.
~ Edward D. Morrison
I loved Tales of Destiny.. Never beat it though.
Nope, haven't played any yet.
I have started Abyss and Eternia, but never finished them.
There was a point where if Persona 4 wasn't in my PS2, then Tales of the Abyss was. And my Gamecube was basically a Symphonia machine. I like Legendia too, the plot wasn't anything special and the combat was a step backwards, but the characters were great. With the exception of two. I only played through Phantasia once and Eternia/Destiny II a couple of times.
I haven't played a Tales since Abyss and am looking forward to Tales of Hearts R.
I have played and beaten
Tales of Eternia
Tales of Symphonia
Tales of Vespiria
Tales of Graces f
Tales of Xillia
I have played some of Tales of Phantasia on the GBA.
My two favorites are easily Symphonia and Vespiria. I really wanted to try out Rebirth when it came out but it never saw a state side release and then I forgot about it until now.
There's also Tales of the Temptest ^_^ But I've only dabbled in that one. It's plot was similar enough to Innocence that I just stuck with Innocence (I acquired them and their translation patches at the same time, but Innocence took more work, so I stuck to that to make it worth it. And it was/is. So far)
Xillia is the only one I've beaten. Put in quite a few hours into Symphonia, Destiny, and Vesperia. Currently killing Xillia 2. Then probably going back to Vesperia. And then likely Graces. I think Hearts and Innocence are coming state-side for the Vita. And I believe they're supposed to be, or will be Vita TV compatible. And I plan on getting that. So hopefully I'll be able to play Hearts on there. And possibly actually buy Innocence
So yeah. I missed out on the PS2 generation. But for the most part, I've always at least appreciated Tales games, if not actually enjoy them. I never beat Destiny because it had that Tales trademark fake-out endings. When I thought I was going to beat the game for the 3rd time and some plot twist happens, I was only playing to beat it because I felt I was so close to beating it. I was ready to be done with it. Put in my 30'ish hours and ready to move on. But it kept faking me out and pulling the rug out from under me. So I quit towards the end on that one. And now the Tales of Xillia games are doing the same thing. But I'm okay with it this time. I don't have that craving to finally set down the controller. Plus it's a lot more fun actually playing co-op. And I love the Tales series for that
funny i should notice this as i just picked up tales of eternia tonight after about a year of not botheringjust killed that damn sexy sireni do like this game but jrpgs just don't do it for me anymore.....can't seem to get in with their whole vibe nowadays
i forgot to check xillia on the poll D:
Not yet. Mirage wants me to review Tales of Xillia, though.
One day!
It's great. The sequel is cool too!
I'll have to pick some dollars from the money tre-- I mean, I'll have to save up and get it. There's no money tree or anything of the likes in my backyard.
Don't come over here.
I have played Tales of Symphonia and the sequel for the Wii, and Tales of The Abyss.
I've played and beaten:
Tales of Symphonia
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
Tales of Legendia
Tales of Graces f
Tales of Xillia
I'm currently working on Tales of Xillia 2 and having an absolute blast. It's a long term goal of mine to go back and play all the Tales games I haven't gotten around to yet. I love this series.
Tales of Hearts R will likely be my first Vita purchase :grover:
I really want Hearts but I has no Vita :(
Phantasia, Symphonia and Vesperia.
When I had to play Tales games they weren't really widely available in the UK sadly.
Now I just don't have the time to knuckle down to those sort of games (for example I've had Bravely Default since it was released and still haven't finished it ><)
From what I've read Hearts isn't getting a dub. It's going to be subbed in English for western releases.
I'm okay with this.
Probably something a lot of companies may need to make a habit of doing. Even those of us fans who prefer dubs, are generally anime fans, and are not completely turned off by Japanese voices. Tales of Innocence has a surprising amount of voice acting for an NDS game, and I am perfectly fine with that. All the text is in english and I can understand the tone of the emotions. That's all that really matters. Go ahead and save some money, Namco. So long as we get the games, I'm happy
A subbed game with an english UI is at least easily playable to me, something a completely untranslated game is not. It saves them a lot of money and still lets the core fans in on the fun. Mostbody wins.
I've played and beaten Phantasia (GBA), Legendia, Abyss (PS2), Symphonia (GC), Graces f (haven't finished future arc yet), and Xillia.
I also own Destiny (PSX), Destiny II / Eternia (PSX), and Tales of Symphonia Chronicles but I haven't finished them yet.
I really need to buy Xillia 2...
I used to not pay any attention to this series until I got Tales of Xillia about a month ago. I'm not a fan of the graphics, they look too cheap. However, I'm an anime fan and I at least know what they where trying to go for with the anime-like style, but if it hadn't been for my exposure to anime and games like Persona, I would have dropped this series there and then. As of now I'm enjoying Xillia and looking forward to Xillia II.
I realize certain styles of anime aesthetic are acquired tastes, but most of them are par for the course. Is this meant to illustrate the idea that people are growing out of the whole aspect of JRPGs? This would lead one to believe if games like FFVI and Xenogears were released today, people would roll their eyes and sigh at the art direction and not give it another thought? Even the earliest Dragon Warrior games looked like anime. And damn near every JRPG after that. I don't see how that alone is a deciding factor. At least it's not super-deformed (chibi) anime style anymore like it was in those days
Edit: I guess it really wasn't this thread that got into that topic. Just that post. Sorry. Getting things mixed up. But there was a lot of similar dissenting opinions on JRPGs in this regard in this other thread (I think)
http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread....n-t-like-JPRGs
I downloaded Tales of Symphonia Chronicles for the PS3 and I blame this thread.
Just realized we have 12 members that played both games on this poll which were never released outside of Japan..? I'm jealous
Edit: I should say were never translated*
Releases hardly matter, these days. Nothing holds back determined fans
Then again, a lot of games have been translated without localizing or patching. Maybe people are reading walkthroughs while playing. Not a way I could enjoy a game..
I had a hunch my post might cause a certain reaction, but it is not something I had aimed for. Obviously speaking for myself here, I'll just say I have preferences for some styles over others. I wasn't aware there was a discussion about this subject (and by the sound of it quite seriously), so I'll leave it at that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vyk
Anyways, looking forward to trying out other Tales games once I get through the ones I've got right now.
It was actually because I've been active in another thread where people were bashing JRPGs for having anime'esque art aesthetics. I had a brain fart and honestly thought that conversation was in here so I replied as such. It really wasn't just you I was replying towards. It was a collective opinion that confused me. Yours was just the only one expressed in here. Sorry about that
In other news. We just beat Xillia 2. Not particularly satisfied with the ending choices. Might have to go watch the other endings. Though those are supposedly not really any better. No spoilers though. Just not sure anyone should rush to beat it..
Just got Vesperia :excited:
Won't be able to play it for about 2 weeks though
Just finished Xillia 2. I doubt what I saw was the perfect ending, though. Time to crush the postgame content!
Haven't played any but wouldn't mind giving one a go someday.
So far I've beaten Symphonia, Hearts R, Graces F, Xillia and Xillia 2.
I'm close to finishing Abyss and Twin Brave, and I've started playing Phantasia, Eternia and Radiant Mythology 2 a while ago, but I get easily distracted by other games, so.. this will still take a while.
They're almost all couch co-op inclusive :3Quote:
Originally Posted by Loony BoB
Only in battles though! Player 2 has to be okay being relegated to the sidelines during exploration/town periods. x}Quote:
Originally Posted by VykThey're almost all couch co-op inclusive :3Quote:
Originally Posted by Loony BoB
I think the Tales games are very good for the most part but can still be, individually, a mixed bag seeing they can use anime and JRPG formulas moreso than say Final Fantasy (which is saying a lot). Each game is clearly not half-assed and is generally very well-polished and inspired.Vesperia, Xillia, The Abyss, and Symphonia are the best in my opinion.
Dear Tales Fans,
I have not played any Tales games, but they look fun. I am a busy man and would probably only have time for one of them. I was thinking of getting Symphonia (the updated PS3 version). Is that a good choice?
Sincerely,
Del Murder
The PS3 version uses the PS2 version, which had a lower resolution and slower framerate from what I gathered. And not a lot of people liked the sequel which is included. I personally find Symphonia to be on the slow side and not many characters or plot elements drew me in or kept me interested. Xillia 1 & 2 are still the only ones I've legitimately finished. They kept me interested, the characters were more fleshed out, the battle system was so much more fun than the others, its a lot faster, and has way more voice acting
If you don't mind the slower pacing and way more reading of the older games, there's not really anything wrong with them. But you have a 3DS, yes? Abyss may be a better jumping off point. Symphonia is pretty highly regarded. But I believe Abyss is loved by even more people, and for the most part I get the impression that it's the favorite of almost everyone who played it
I haven't had the pleasure yet, but it seemed worth mentioning
I haven't played Symphonia, but the two I always hear about are Symphonia and Vesperia (both of which I own but haven't played yet)
I played Abyss and both Xillia games and I enjoyed Xillia more, although they're both solid games. The gameplay was a lot smoother in Xillia I found, and the characters made me care more, but the story in Abyss was more interesting to me
If you only have time for one, I wouldn't pick Symphonia.
Thanks for narrowing it down, Mirage.
Personally, I think Xillia is pretty good story-wise, but the gameplay of Graces F is better balanced, without an extreme focus on offense. Both games are available on PS3.
I've heard good things about vesperia, but I've never played it because I don't have a 360.
I did enjoy Symphonia when I played it back on gamecube though. It's not a bad game, but the story is a bit dull, and the voice acting and how characters act in cutscenes isn't all that great.
Is the series like FF where all the games are independent except when there is a direct sequel like Xillia 2?
Yes
I've heard Symphonia is like 4000 years before Phantasia, but its a very loose connection
Yeah, it's like FF for the most part. Even if the games take place in the same world, they're unlikely to have any strong ties. Don't worry about it.
I've played the following (with what versions I played in parentheses) :
Tales of Phantasia (for SFC, GBA, PSX, and PSP)
Tales of Destiny (PSX and PS2)
Tales of Destiny 2 (PS2 and PSP)
Tales of Eternia (PSX and PSP)Tales of Symphonia (PS2 JP version, never played the GC one)
Tales of Rebirth (PS2 and PSP)
Tales of Hearts (DS)
Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology (PSP)
TotW: RM 2 (PSP)
TotW: RM 3 (PSP)
Tales: Narikiri Dungeon 2 (GBA)
Tales: Narikiri Dungeon 3 (GBA)
Tales of Vs. (PSP)
Tales of Vesperia (360)
Tales of Innocence (DS)
Tales of the Tempest (DS)
Tales of Legendia (PS2)
Tales of the Heroes: Twin Brave (PSP)
Tales of Graces F (PS3)
My favorite Tales games are Rebirth, Destiny 2 (the real one) and Twin Brave. My least favorites are Vesperia, Innocence, and Tempest. So....yeah. But the most fun I've personally ever had with a Tales game was when I imported Twin Brave last year. It's basically a DW-type game with all the main characters of the Tales series. It's great fun.
I was super duper enjoying Innocence. But now I'm in a section where I have to grind grind grind. And it made me lose a lot of interest :/
I tried the Tales of the World games, but it really didn't catch my interest. How does Tales of Heroes compare? And am I to presume there is an english patch? I get the impression you've played a lot of them un-translated
Twin Brave is essentially a spinoff of the RPG games. The best way to describe it is a hack-and-slash similar to Dynasty Warriors. But the characters in the game are all from Tales and the vast majority are the main characters of each Tales game.
This is what the game looks like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK8yqIK_sTs
What makes it so fun is that the characters get a bunch of special moves and Hi-Ougis from their games as they level up, and the fighting gets a lot more fun later on. Even some of the characters I didn't like from their respective main games (like Reid and Spada) are actually pretty fun to use in this one.
Yes, I did play the majority of them untranslated. At the time I played games like Rebirth and ToD2, they didn't have any translation patches. It's difficult, but doable. Twin Brave, I'd have to say, is undoubtedly the easiest one to play without knowing Japanese.
I'm definitely gonna try to get Tales of Hearts R for Vita, even though I'm trying to get a PS3, a Wii U, and an XBOne before February of next year.....
I just started the PS3 version of Symphonia. So far it reminds me a lot of Star Ocean 1 and 2, and a little bit of Vesperia and Graces f.
I thought the art direction of graces was very much like that of symphonia too.
Looking at Graces f, its never interested me, but I dunno. A lot of people seem to like it, maybe I should give it a try
Graces is just as slow to get off the ground as Vesperia, and the characters took just as long to grow on me. There's a couple of retarded dungeon designs in the beginning that kind of throw the game off if you don't pick up on the design quickly, or have poor navigational memory. So a walkthrough is almost required. But the combat is a lot friendlier than Vesperia. The art style is a lot more intense though. It kinda grated on me for a very long time. And the pacing didn't help. These kinda things are why I think Xillia is just about the pinnacle of the series so far. It's not perfect. But it is the most well rounded and user-friendly. The story starts right out. The combat is fast, easy, and fun. And there are lots of likable and well fleshed out characters with the most voice acting so far in the series I believe. So it's a great jumping off point for anyone that is just wanting to dig in without as much commitment or patience as the others require. But people do still dislike it for various reasons. And there are even more reasons why it's not everyone's favorite
I found the characters of Graces f to be way more interesting and less annoying than Vesperia (ugh, Raven? Karol? A daggone dog? seriously?). Gameplay and story-wise, they're probably about equal.
Apparently there's a new Tales game next year and looking at some of the character designs already has me excited :excited:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...98061214_o.jpg
Attachment 60336
:excited:
I've seen trailers for Zestiria but I don't recall the characters looking like that
But yeah, Vesperia didn't really have very good characters. But they grew on me. Probably because I've played more of it. But I did not really like that a dog was one of them. But my biggest beef was in the battles. Yuri was the only one who could do a combo for the first like 10 hours. Everyone else had to live with only attacking once. MAYBE twice in a string. It took so long to get another worthwhile character for co-op fun. It almost killed the game for my girlfriend and me. Then Xillia 2 came out and we quit so we could both have fun. Then tried Graces, and got like 15 or 20 hours in, and kinda lost interest on that as well. Vesperia and Graces just had such slow build-up. But thinking back, I think Symphonia did as well. So it's probably been a series staple and Xillia just was the exception, with immediate story, fast pace, quicker character introduction, etc.
Kinda want to try some of the PS2 ones, especially Abyss, since it's the most highly regarded by most people. But I'm not entirely sure I can enjoy the older ones if they're all as slow and unbalanced before Xillia came along and changed everything. I really hope they don't return to those roots with Zesteria and they have more user-friendly/likable characters towards the beginning and it doesn't take 15 hours for the story to start
Don't play Legendia. You'll thank me later.
I'm planning to play Legendia. I've heard its the black sheep of the series, but the character designs interest me and that's really the first thing I look at
Oh Ashton, you poor, poor, poor, POOR thing. :shobon:
Maybe I'll like it :colbert:
You might. It was certainly an interesting game since the Soul Calibur team made it instead of the normal team.
That's what interests me in it most. Though no co-op kinda sucks. But until Xillia, none of them really felt like they had any kind of fighting game engine. Just real-time. I'm curious to see how the Soul Calibur team dealt with it. I'm told that many people's gripes with it would go away if they put it on manual rather than auto
I never use the co-op play anyways so having/not having it in no way affects my opinion of any of the games. I get that some people enjoy that, but to me it makes no difference. I'm just not a co-op type of person I guess :P
Another common complaint I hear about Legendia is that it has a terrible story and limited character development until you finish the game, at which point, after the credits, character specific stories open or something like that. I've never bothered to finish the game, so I don't know how accurate that complaint is, but it is one I hear a lot. Additionally, I don't recall Legendia using the CC/Stock based attack system that several Tales games, relevantly Xilia, use, so combat is more defined and significantly slower/ less free than what you may be expecting.
On the plus side for the game, though, Senel is fistycuffs-type grappler and fairly unique in the series, which makes him an interesting main character to play as.
The battle system killed the game for me. Some of the characters are awesome (Senel :jess: ) but the battles are very restricting and lack variety compared to games like Rebirth, Destiny 2, Xillia, etc. Who the smurf thought it was a good idea to not only cut the available moves in half, but to not have Hi-Ougis either? :erm:
I liked Legendia. I liked most of the cast, and by that I mean I hated Jay and Shirley. But loved Grune, Norma, and Chloe. Especially Chloe, she was awesome. Her clothes were weird though.
I don't think Legendia's lack of moves would bother me simply because I merely enjoy the series, I'm not a die-hard fan. I know how to do some moves, but I don't know which are hi-ougi's, or mystic arts, or .... blue arts... they're just moves. I input the things, and they do them :D
Duck...tales.
Woo-oo~~
This is the part I'm looking forward to the most in Tales of Symphonia (also, spoilers and such)
8 minutes 22 seconds to about 8 minutes 30 seconds
Guardian WAS pretty nuts in that game. <_<
Sad to say that I've only played Tales of Destiny II, Xillia and Xillia 2. Wish I got into the series earlier then I wouldn't have the issue of complaining about the lack of JRPGs these days, haha.
JRPGs are surviving pretty well on handhelds if you're interested. I've been desperately taste-testing a ton of them to find one with enough depth and character for me. Amusingly, Tales of Innocence is still the best pick so far in that regard. There's a really well done translation patch. Only problem is there is no easy difficulty. I loathe putting games on easy, but some of the dungeons in this game are ridiculous. Long complex mazes with super high encounter/spawn rates. Finally got past the one that was holding me back for the last month or so, so I can continue the game. But I'll keep my eye out for other gems on it, and its peers. Only hendheld I'm missing is a Vita, and can't wait to get one to play Tales of Hearts R (along with Persona 4: Golden)
I've noticed that handhelds like the Vita and 3DS are saturated with JRPGs in comparison to home consoles, hence my decision to buy the latter last Christmas. Though I've barely touched it since getting the system and still enjoy the feeling of an actual controller. Going to start hoarding any of the previous Tales of instalments I can get my hands on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vyk
I know exactly how you feel. But then again, my hands cramp up and my back hurts whenever I play a handheld too long. Its just too unnatural and uncomfortable to me. But I keep on trying ...
Off topic, but one of the PSP's most highly regarded JRPGS Trails in the Sky recently got a PC release on Steam and GOG.com. And there's also a pretty well loved game that an indie studio made recently for the Genesis and Dreamcast that just got the PC HD treatment, also on Steam and GOG.com called Pier Solar. So at least the PC is getting some love in that regard
Just feels like there's an overall decreased number of RPGs, especially JRPGs which I love, in comparison to the PS2 era. Hence why I shall start finish the Tales of I currently have and then look to buy the previous instalments as I go.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vyk
That's pretty much what my girlfriend and I are doing. As well as trying to fill out our PS2 JRPG collection since I missed out on goodies like Persona 3 & 4 (which we now have), and the other interesting Shin Megami PS2 games, the other Grandia installments, other Wild Arms installments, Shadow Hearts, and lots of others... now if we can get her PS2 to stop throwing tantrums lol
Speaking of which. Definitely adding Tales of Abyss during that
I have played a couple Tales games.
If you don't mind doing a little bit of work with your playthrough, you might consider looking into the Tales of Destiny remake on the PS2 as well. There isn't a patch out for it yet, although one is being worked on, but there's a very good translation guide you can use with it, which is what I did. The combat uses a CC system like Xillia used, so as long as you have stocks you can keep attacking, and it has multiple characters that are worth playing as in combat, Mary and Kongman being my favorite two. There's also a pretty spiffy gem system, as I recall, that lets you customize a piece of gear for different effects.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vyk
Played Tales of Symphonia while the forums were down
LOVED IT
I may have mentioned it, but we played Tales of Symphonia recently. I nostalgia'd pretty hard about it, and then remember how much I loved the game.
Then we played it and I remembered how much I hated the late game dungeons/Most Characters xD.
It's a smashing game, but with the exception of Raine, I dislike pretty much all of the Slyvarant cast.
I like almost all of the characters
Except Raine, yeah
I just got Tales of Heart R :3 Haven't really test drove it much since its for my VitaTV. The girlfriend is on her third playthrough of Dragon Age: Inquisition, and first playthrough of that game on the PS4. I don't get much time with that TV. But Xenoblade has been keeping me company as of late. And even though they can be few and far between, every time a story point happens I remember I love that game. Just have to remember not to get too distracted with item nabbing and gem crafting and other boring/addictive stuff that slows the pace too much. Though it's a great substitute for a Tales fan, being real-time action and free-roaming and whatnot
I remember . . . really liking Sheena in Symphonia. She had a design I instantly loved, and her ill-fated, yet fully determined, early attempts to assassinate Colette amused me to no end. I especially appreciated that, despite the humor surrounding her at first, she wasn't a tag-along joke character once she joined, and her story segments once you hit Tethe'alla were probably my favorite character specific ones in the game. That said, I was fairly disappointed with her in combat though, especially after playing as the other Fujibayashi in the series, but, then again, I guess some ninjas get to summon Volt and Ifrit while others get to summon super cute fire breathing frogs and throw flaming ninja stars, and you gotta roll with what the game deals you. I totally got robbed, though. :mad:
Regarding Tales of Hearts R, I have a friend who is greatly enjoying the game right now (in fact he brings it up most of the time we talk), and it seems like a pretty awesome upgrade from everything he's said. I played the original when it came out and wasn't especially fond of it, but I'll probably have to borrow the remake from him at some point and give it a try.
I finally got Tales of Graces F (English version). I'd only played the JP version before. Now, after getting a pretty decent amount of the way in, I can say that the battle system is definitely in my top three favorites, along with Rebirth and Destiny 2 (PS2). It has the CC (chain capacity) system like ToD2 does, where you don't use MP for magic and such, and the points recharge really fast. Makes it easier to play as mages and you don't have to manage your MP since there isn't any! :jess:
I also got Tales of Xillia, which is a solid fourth for me in terms of the battle system. The narrative makes very little sense, though, and I oftentimes just want to punch Jude in the face. I don't care if he's the coolest hand-to-hand fighter Tales has had since Senel, I wanna just punch his life in the face!
I forget her name, Hermina or something, from Innocence is a pretty awesome hand-to-hand fighter, especially for a console like the DS
But yeah. I liked Jude a lot, but I also wanted to strangle him a lot lol
Could not get into Graces as much. Though playing as Sophia is really fun (speaking of hand combatants), the dungeons were really poorly designed to me. I couldn't get into too many of the early game characters. Though(SPOILER) the one chance I got to play as the adult brother was pretty ballin
Yeah I wasn't keen on Graces battle system at all. I think Zesteria is going to be using a CC thing similar to it, so hopefully it's a bit more fun for me. I don't think it was bad, you just started out with very few CC, and it took ages until you had enough to really be fun and put together interesting combos.
Xillia's link system though. Suteki! There was so much interesting variety to it from really early on. Although I spent most of the game linking with Jude (I played as Milla) everyone had some really great combinations. I really enjoyed Leia's fighting style a lot, she linked p with Jude really nicely.
Not sure which is my favourite Tales game, Xillia or Vesperia. Xillia certainly has the best game design by a country mile, and I think the better story. But Vesperia has Yuri and Rita - the best characters in pretty much anything ever. ^^
Yuri probably the main character I appreciate the most so far in the series, and I really like his conflict with Flynn. :D It's too bad the PS3 version never came out in the US and made Flynn a fully playable character, though. :(
My only complaint about Xillia is how abusable the link system felt -- it was almost Field of Fonons bad. My strategy was little more than link Jude with Rowan for magic immunity, fill the combo gauge, and enjoy basic invulnerability for 10 seconds while spamming skills. I didn't even know a few of the bosses had Mystic Artes until I watched an exhibition video, and I was playing on hard. :/
I always tend to forget that Sophie can fight hand-to-hand, since I'm too busy using her for healing xD