You are the first reviewer who shows the alchemy/weapon improvement system in action and actually explains the combat system and what differenciates it from the other titles, instead of just stating that it's "the best". I really appreciate how informative your reviews are. That really helps people see if *they* are going to like something. This is a wonderful retrospective as a whole so I've subscribed in the hopes that you'll post more reviews of other games, as well. Thanks a lot for these very well-done and informative reviews!
Frankly I dont get why there were so many issues seen with this game. I understand some of the issues with the campy plot, but I found it enjoyable and loved exploring the world present. While limited, it was very beautiful and unique everywhere you went whereas previous and even later entries had ungodly bland highroads. I think the thing that really made it more enjoyable to travel was its inclusion of a minimap. You had an idea where you were going but you didnt see the location in detail until you were getting close, and it always gave it a great sense of adventure. Ill always remember that first trip to Barona with just Asbel and Sophie when you reach the top of the cliff and look out to see the city across the water, with the dock just down the way. Its always stuck with me. It got me back into the series, after only playing a bit of Symphonia a small bit as a child, where I never got to finish it, and now Ive played through it, Abyss(My least favorite), Symph Chronicles, Xillia 1 and 2, and now am working on Zestiria while waiting for Berseria.
your tales of videos really help me understand which games look cool enough to try. I'm not a fan of the series but I have always enjoyed the presence it maintains as it keeps JRPGs alive. I wish Xilia was on PC and other systems as I love the setting for it being a Tales Of game set in a closer to real life modern aesthetic.
I just got this game and so far the story is really interesting to me and the OST is not as forgettable as people say. Some songs are forgettable and some sound good its mostly average not the best music by Motoi but not forgettable either. I may end up hating the story for this game later on but so far it has kept me interested in seeing it through till the end.
Definitely a fair review. This is a pretty divisive game in the series, very love/hate with this one. I lean heavily in the "love" side because of how engaging the combat and title system is. I definitely agree that the story isn't anything too special but I think it's interesting enough to want to see through to the end. I think special mention should also go to Richard whom I think is probably the deepest character in the game.
TheGamingPilgrimage I didn't know you liked my stuff, small world. =). You do good work man, these videos have been very enjoyable to watch, keep it up!
+TheGamingPilgrimage sir I remember in your talk with shintai you were discussing your top 10 favorite protagonist when talking about asbel would you ever consider a video on your favorite protagonist?
I personally love this game and the soundtrack.For this being my 1st Tales Of game Tales Of Graces F was just such a joy to play.I had spent exactly 100 hours on my 2nd play through and all of my characters was exactly at level 100 on CHAOS difficulty at the time of me defeating Lambda Angelus which was at level 120.Playing this game reminded me so much of how Star Ocean 3 Till the End of Time played.Imagine my surprise to find out that TRI-ACE was a company that was founded by ex Tales developers and that is why I love both franchises.
plus graces has a lot of cameo, references to past tales games, not just the standard cameo battle, but lots of weapons/items - carta cards would be an example
As I mentioned on one of your other videos, I haven't picked up any of the Tales games for the PS3, so I have yet to try this one. I'm glad to hear that the game is that fun to play. The battle system seems like a great evolution from previous entries. Not that I hadn't already planned to get this game eventually, but I am looking forward to giving it a go after watching this review. ;)
First tales game I ever played and loved ever second (childhood part was a pain though if I'm honest and Little Queen was hell) still play it to this day. Every time Sophie got hit I ran straight to the enemy that did it whilst shouting "don't you touch my Sophie!". Played every Tales game available since.
The OP, title screen, and first 2 BGMs had me fooled, thinking the entire OST was going to be great. At least the battle was super fun. There is still so very much I would have changed about the plot.
I just bought this brand new on Amazon for $33.00. I probably will not play it for awhile, but thought it would be a good idea to buy it, before it goes up in price.
...How weird is it that this was my first Tales game (I'm planning to buy xillia 2 next)? Anyways though, I love this game. I love how crazy the battles can get, and I'm one of the few that thought the story and characters were pretty good (love how the writers didn't need to give them an over the top gimmick for personality...unlike some other rpgs *coughs* Fire emblem Awakening *coughs*
I seem to can't find a copy of Xillia 1. Only Tales of series I can find for the PS3 are Graces F, Xillia 2, and Symphonia Chronicles. Will this be a good tales of game for a newcomer like me?
- Very good combat system. It becomes really good near mid game. Before that, it's frustrating as hell because of the CC limit (which allows you to perform your skills). - The dualize system is over complicated. It took a while since i've finally mastered that shit. - The story is really good, kinda sad at certain moments. - Music is good. I heard better musics in other Tales of games. - The characters are some of the most touching, funny and adorables in the entire franchise. I think that's all i can say about this game. One of my favorites in the Tales of series.
I know this all isn't official, but will you be looking at some of the fan translated Tales games like Tempest, Innocence and the PSX version of Phantasia?
Foremost I want to finish my western retrospective first but at some point I will be looking at some of the Japanese release like Phantasia PSX. I'm not sure if I will make it a series or just randomly review them.
Ahhh Graces the game that sucked me into the Tales series. I absolutely love this game! After finishing Graces its time to raid my roommates other Tales games!
You say Xillia is going to be the last one, but what about Tales of Innocence?! It got a fan translation and everything, although it never saw a western release. I guess you're only focusing on games that came out officially in some form or another?
The Tales of Retrospective is only concerned with western released Tales games but, at some point or another I will be looking at Tales of Phantasia and Tales of Innocence as they both have been fan translated. I will most likely be looking at other Tales games that have been exclusively released in Japan. I'll have an update video released covering these topics in more detail.
Cool! I've played little bits of a few Tales games, so I've been looking to get more into them. Symphonia was also my first forray into the series, but I currently only own Abyss for 3DS. Er, and also for PS2, actually! Not sure why I have both... And no other Tales games. But whatever. I'm getting a PS3 soon, so I'll have access to quite a few of the newer ones soon enough, and it would be super easy for me to grab the two Symphonia games (Although with the Symphonia Chronicles coming out for, oh, look at that, PS3, I'll have access to that one too later on).
TheGamingPilgrimage Tales of Innocence R might be released, Hearts R is about to be released and if received well enough, Innocence R will follow suit. Innocence for the DS is a mediocre Abyss wannabe with difficulty spiked that reach the Everest.
That's because they basically are all the same. They are generic anime adventures that Namco rarely put much effort into. Ever since the very first game (Phantasia) they have always been side projects to Namco's other mainline releases. The only real standouts are Symphonia, Abyss, and Vesperia, a trio of games that share the same director, similar teams, and had the most effort put in to their development. But even with the success of those specific titles, Namco still never took the franchise very seriously. Their strategy shifted again in an effort to create even more Tales games at a faster pace, with the end result being a flood of lower quality products that people became less interested in over time. To this day there hasn't been a single entry since Vesperia that's worth taking seriously, as the standards set by those 3 games have yet to be matched. The series had an opportunity to really shine, but was squandered by bad business decisions (likely due to Bandai's influence), and is now just another bland anime series that only appeals to younger audiences and weebs with low standards.
Well after Luke fon Fabre's very drawn out change from spoiled brat to almost likable, the childhood should be a breeze. I hope your next series costs me less money haha. -P1
I agree with most of what u said, i thought the gameplay was great and was a good change of pace. I might go as far to say though that the story sucked, i wasn't very interested in the plot at all when it came down to it to the point where I was playing it just to finish it, luckily gameplay kept me going, most of the characters I liked, I just really didn't like Sophie or Pascal. Overall an ok game haha
It's funny cos the thing that I hated the most was precisely the gameplay... nothing to do with previous tales of games and I found it really annoying to say the least... actually was the main reason for considering quiting it.. am still playing it, and I wan't something more abyss or symphonia like T_T
For someone who plays a lot of Tales of games you certainly don't leave the best impression in your battle performance. I watched a few of your reviews back to back and you seem to mash... a lot. It is especially apparent in games that require guarding for a bit to recover your stamina type of resource, like in Graces f and Zestiria. You can always be seen throwing out single moves because you don't wait to recover your stamina =p. Then in other games with no tiered combo systems, like Xillia and Hearts R, you can be seen stapping the same arte over and over in a row.
This is by far my least favorite mothership title in this series. A lot of people loved the combat, I didn't care for it. I prefer my TP. The story is so bland that the intro more or less spoils the entire game for you. This game has redeeming qualities but overall, not as good as games other games in the series. I'm impartial to this one. Go play Xillia. it's and improvement from this.
+abc4781 me too I hate this CC system!!! don't know how can people like it I mean why is sword rain in arrow up and down if it is a linear attack XD and why is serverd wing in side arrows if it is an upward attack? doesn't give you freedom at all.. I miss my old abyss combos like, 7 base attacks, 2 base artes, 1 arcane arte, another base and a mystic arte at the end :3 the gameplay lacks of freedom so mych that you wouldn't stand a chance with a boss like nebilim... and I'm surprised to see people to actually liking this.. you know? I would like a tales of game like eternia with abyss game system of course with all the spirits included XD
+zidanesg1 Same here. I'm like most fans actually consider this combat to be the best in the series and I call SOOOO much bullshit on that. I feel like Graces was basically just pressing the X button and moving the analong stick. It felt sloppy. Flashy yes. But slopply. The fact that every attack you do is an art makes it even worse. I can go on and on and on about why I didn't like this combat but I don't want to bore you with an essay lol. What makes it worse is that soo many people liked this game's combat that they used a similar combat system in Tales of Zesteria. That's why I'm so hesitant about buying that game. I hate it when popular opinions screw me over.
I'm suprised you make no special mention of the skits. The skits in this game are very well excecuted and overall just really fun, they really stand out compared to other Tales games. Also the future arc provided some of the best Tales gameplay i've ever had. The game really steps at the end of the game. For the rest i enjoyed the review and i think i agree on pretty much everything you said :)
You are right, I made a very small mention somewhere but I should have elaborated as there are so many skits its ridiculous. That final battle against the Queen of Fodra is easily one of the most memorable final fights I've ever experienced in any game.
You are the first reviewer who shows the alchemy/weapon improvement system in action and actually explains the combat system and what differenciates it from the other titles, instead of just stating that it's "the best". I really appreciate how informative your reviews are. That really helps people see if *they* are going to like something. This is a wonderful retrospective as a whole so I've subscribed in the hopes that you'll post more reviews of other games, as well. Thanks a lot for these very well-done and informative reviews!
Very underrated game. Deserves much much more love.
My favourite game in this series. Great combat system that reminds me of star ocean 3
Frankly I dont get why there were so many issues seen with this game. I understand some of the issues with the campy plot, but I found it enjoyable and loved exploring the world present. While limited, it was very beautiful and unique everywhere you went whereas previous and even later entries had ungodly bland highroads. I think the thing that really made it more enjoyable to travel was its inclusion of a minimap. You had an idea where you were going but you didnt see the location in detail until you were getting close, and it always gave it a great sense of adventure. Ill always remember that first trip to Barona with just Asbel and Sophie when you reach the top of the cliff and look out to see the city across the water, with the dock just down the way. Its always stuck with me.
It got me back into the series, after only playing a bit of Symphonia a small bit as a child, where I never got to finish it, and now Ive played through it, Abyss(My least favorite), Symph Chronicles, Xillia 1 and 2, and now am working on Zestiria while waiting for Berseria.
The "F" might as well stand for friend with how much they go on about it in this game
your tales of videos really help me understand which games look cool enough to try. I'm not a fan of the series but I have always enjoyed the presence it maintains as it keeps JRPGs alive. I wish Xilia was on PC and other systems as I love the setting for it being a Tales Of game set in a closer to real life modern aesthetic.
I just got this game and so far the story is really interesting to me and the OST is not as forgettable as people say. Some songs are forgettable and some sound good its mostly average not the best music by Motoi but not forgettable either. I may end up hating the story for this game later on but so far it has kept me interested in seeing it through till the end.
Definitely a fair review. This is a pretty divisive game in the series, very love/hate with this one. I lean heavily in the "love" side because of how engaging the combat and title system is. I definitely agree that the story isn't anything too special but I think it's interesting enough to want to see through to the end. I think special mention should also go to Richard whom I think is probably the deepest character in the game.
Thanks for all the feedback, I really appreciate it. It's crazy seeing you here on my videos, as I'm a huge fan!
TheGamingPilgrimage I didn't know you liked my stuff, small world. =). You do good work man, these videos have been very enjoyable to watch, keep it up!
***** Did Richard also remind you of Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto? We're getting lots of Sasuke ripoffs in anime stuff these days.
buck wade Caanan No, not in the slightest, the two characters are extremely different from each other.
+TheGamingPilgrimage sir I remember in your talk with shintai you were discussing your top 10 favorite protagonist when talking about asbel would you ever consider a video on your favorite protagonist?
I personally love this game and the soundtrack.For this being my 1st Tales Of game Tales Of Graces F was just such a joy to play.I had spent exactly 100 hours on my 2nd play through and all of my characters was exactly at level 100 on CHAOS difficulty at the time of me defeating Lambda Angelus which was at level 120.Playing this game reminded me so much of how Star Ocean 3 Till the End of Time played.Imagine my surprise to find out that TRI-ACE was a company that was founded by ex Tales developers and that is why I love both franchises.
plus graces has a lot of cameo, references to past tales games, not just the standard cameo battle, but lots of weapons/items - carta cards would be an example
As I mentioned on one of your other videos, I haven't picked up any of the Tales games for the PS3, so I have yet to try this one. I'm glad to hear that the game is that fun to play. The battle system seems like a great evolution from previous entries. Not that I hadn't already planned to get this game eventually, but I am looking forward to giving it a go after watching this review. ;)
Took me exactly 100 hours to complete the main game. So many sidequests.
First tales game I ever played and loved ever second (childhood part was a pain though if I'm honest and Little Queen was hell) still play it to this day. Every time Sophie got hit I ran straight to the enemy that did it whilst shouting "don't you touch my Sophie!". Played every Tales game available since.
My biggest problem was Asbel's "protect everything" personality, it's not a bad personality, just don't push it as far as they did with Asbel.
The OP, title screen, and first 2 BGMs had me fooled, thinking the entire OST was going to be great. At least the battle was super fun.
There is still so very much I would have changed about the plot.
I totally agree that this game had the best battle system. I was bummed they didn't carry it into Xilla. Oh well that game had a much better story.
This is my favorite rpg ever. New game plus solo asbel with difficulty cranked is a nice challenge.
I just bought this brand new on Amazon for $33.00. I probably will not play it for awhile, but thought it would be a good idea to buy it, before it goes up in price.
...How weird is it that this was my first Tales game (I'm planning to buy xillia 2 next)? Anyways though, I love this game. I love how crazy the battles can get, and I'm one of the few that thought the story and characters were pretty good (love how the writers didn't need to give them an over the top gimmick for personality...unlike some other rpgs *coughs* Fire emblem Awakening *coughs*
Did I hear, “Tales next time”?
I seem to can't find a copy of Xillia 1. Only Tales of series I can find for the PS3 are Graces F, Xillia 2, and Symphonia Chronicles. Will this be a good tales of game for a newcomer like me?
You just made me a Tales fan lol. Thanks Man!
- Very good combat system. It becomes really good near mid game. Before that, it's frustrating as hell because of the CC limit (which allows you to perform your skills).
- The dualize system is over complicated. It took a while since i've finally mastered that shit.
- The story is really good, kinda sad at certain moments.
- Music is good. I heard better musics in other Tales of games.
- The characters are some of the most touching, funny and adorables in the entire franchise.
I think that's all i can say about this game. One of my favorites in the Tales of series.
I have always wanted to play one of these tales of games.
And now it is the time. it is on sale now xD
I'm choosing this
Pascal!
Clayton Grange Pascal is love!
I know this all isn't official, but will you be looking at some of the fan translated Tales games like Tempest, Innocence and the PSX version of Phantasia?
Foremost I want to finish my western retrospective first but at some point I will be looking at some of the Japanese release like Phantasia PSX. I'm not sure if I will make it a series or just randomly review them.
Ahhh Graces the game that sucked me into the Tales series. I absolutely love this game! After finishing Graces its time to raid my roommates other Tales games!
You say Xillia is going to be the last one, but what about Tales of Innocence?! It got a fan translation and everything, although it never saw a western release. I guess you're only focusing on games that came out officially in some form or another?
The Tales of Retrospective is only concerned with western released Tales games but, at some point or another I will be looking at Tales of Phantasia and Tales of Innocence as they both have been fan translated. I will most likely be looking at other Tales games that have been exclusively released in Japan. I'll have an update video released covering these topics in more detail.
Cool! I've played little bits of a few Tales games, so I've been looking to get more into them. Symphonia was also my first forray into the series, but I currently only own Abyss for 3DS. Er, and also for PS2, actually! Not sure why I have both... And no other Tales games. But whatever. I'm getting a PS3 soon, so I'll have access to quite a few of the newer ones soon enough, and it would be super easy for me to grab the two Symphonia games (Although with the Symphonia Chronicles coming out for, oh, look at that, PS3, I'll have access to that one too later on).
TheGamingPilgrimage Tales of Innocence R might be released, Hearts R is about to be released and if received well enough, Innocence R will follow suit. Innocence for the DS is a mediocre Abyss wannabe with difficulty spiked that reach the Everest.
Oh man, I agree about the difficulty. Maybe I just sucked, but I felt like I was having trouble as soon as I entered the world map in that one. xD
I want to like these Tales games but every review i see i sit here and think the same thing every time..." these are all the same:...
It's got its own staple battle system but the stories and characters are all different and great
That's because they basically are all the same. They are generic anime adventures that Namco rarely put much effort into. Ever since the very first game (Phantasia) they have always been side projects to Namco's other mainline releases. The only real standouts are Symphonia, Abyss, and Vesperia, a trio of games that share the same director, similar teams, and had the most effort put in to their development. But even with the success of those specific titles, Namco still never took the franchise very seriously. Their strategy shifted again in an effort to create even more Tales games at a faster pace, with the end result being a flood of lower quality products that people became less interested in over time.
To this day there hasn't been a single entry since Vesperia that's worth taking seriously, as the standards set by those 3 games have yet to be matched. The series had an opportunity to really shine, but was squandered by bad business decisions (likely due to Bandai's influence), and is now just another bland anime series that only appeals to younger audiences and weebs with low standards.
Well after Luke fon Fabre's very drawn out change from spoiled brat to almost likable, the childhood should be a breeze. I hope your next series costs me less money haha. -P1
My First Tales, it was ok, but not "especially great", still a solid Part
I wish I could play this but I don't own a PS3 :( Xilia does seem cooler though
***** Not true...I did love the game overall but compared to Symphonia and Graces f it felt really bland due to lack of side quest and exploration
I agree with most of what u said, i thought the gameplay was great and was a good change of pace. I might go as far to say though that the story sucked, i wasn't very interested in the plot at all when it came down to it to the point where I was playing it just to finish it, luckily gameplay kept me going, most of the characters I liked, I just really didn't like Sophie or Pascal. Overall an ok game haha
It’s Xillia
Not Zillia (wtf?)
It's funny cos the thing that I hated the most was precisely the gameplay... nothing to do with previous tales of games and I found it really annoying to say the least... actually was the main reason for considering quiting it.. am still playing it, and I wan't something more abyss or symphonia like T_T
For someone who plays a lot of Tales of games you certainly don't leave the best impression in your battle performance. I watched a few of your reviews back to back and you seem to mash... a lot. It is especially apparent in games that require guarding for a bit to recover your stamina type of resource, like in Graces f and Zestiria. You can always be seen throwing out single moves because you don't wait to recover your stamina =p. Then in other games with no tiered combo systems, like Xillia and Hearts R, you can be seen stapping the same arte over and over in a row.
The worst music of the game: th-cam.com/video/DLo_-5MyI84/w-d-xo.html
You didn't told the extra contents, cameos, downloadble contente and pre-order features. But that's okay.
This is by far my least favorite mothership title in this series. A lot of people loved the combat, I didn't care for it. I prefer my TP. The story is so bland that the intro more or less spoils the entire game for you. This game has redeeming qualities but overall, not as good as games other games in the series. I'm impartial to this one. Go play Xillia. it's and improvement from this.
Dude I agree completely
+abc4781 me too I hate this CC system!!! don't know how can people like it I mean why is sword rain in arrow up and down if it is a linear attack XD and why is serverd wing in side arrows if it is an upward attack? doesn't give you freedom at all.. I miss my old abyss combos like, 7 base attacks, 2 base artes, 1 arcane arte, another base and a mystic arte at the end :3 the gameplay lacks of freedom so mych that you wouldn't stand a chance with a boss like nebilim... and I'm surprised to see people to actually liking this.. you know? I would like a tales of game like eternia with abyss game system of course with all the spirits included XD
+zidanesg1 Same here. I'm like most fans actually consider this combat to be the best in the series and I call SOOOO much bullshit on that. I feel like Graces was basically just pressing the X button and moving the analong stick. It felt sloppy. Flashy yes. But slopply. The fact that every attack you do is an art makes it even worse. I can go on and on and on about why I didn't like this combat but I don't want to bore you with an essay lol. What makes it worse is that soo many people liked this game's combat that they used a similar combat system in Tales of Zesteria. That's why I'm so hesitant about buying that game. I hate it when popular opinions screw me over.
+SuperDuperCooper08 omg I didn't know zestiria was like that o,o I'm going to have to watch a review about it... :c
cooperclan13 I'm fine with TP but the less I have to worry about Gels the better.
I'm suprised you make no special mention of the skits. The skits in this game are very well excecuted and overall just really fun, they really stand out compared to other Tales games.
Also the future arc provided some of the best Tales gameplay i've ever had. The game really steps at the end of the game.
For the rest i enjoyed the review and i think i agree on pretty much everything you said :)
You are right, I made a very small mention somewhere but I should have elaborated as there are so many skits its ridiculous. That final battle against the Queen of Fodra is easily one of the most memorable final fights I've ever experienced in any game.
The frame rate for ps3 was terrible! I stopped playing it
The battle system is great but Asbel completely ruined this game for me. Worst mc ever.
You didn't told the extra contents, cameos, downloadble contente and pre-order features. But that's okay.