I need some "Tales Of" help from the experts

[Yopaz]

Snip (Graces Japan)

I understand Japanese...so is F like a sequel to Graces or something? Or is it an enhanced port? I would consider importing the Wii one if it would make F cooler to play.

It's an enhanced port. there's some more content and I think the resolution got scaled up. From what I understand the original Wii version is not worth it if you have a PS3, but getting the Japanese version might be preferable since things are generally lost in translation.

However given the information that you understand Japanese I would recommend the handheld titles.

Tales of the Abyss is a great game and I don't think there's much difference between the PS2 version or the 3DS version, but the 3DS version really got me through some long train rides so I am really grateful for it. However games you can play on your TV puts less strain on your eyes which makes them better for binge gaming.

I wish you the best of luck into the frustrating world of Tales of games. (The frustration is based on the time it takes between announcement of a new Tales game to the time we get to know if we get it in the west or not and for me that also means Europe.)

 

[Silvianoshei]

Is it true that the 3DS isn't as good at playing regular DS games than an actual DS? Longer loading times or something like that? Oh, and I decided to go swimming, and a dolphin clicked at me that emulation is very bad and naughty.

I haven't run into that, and most of my 3DS library are DS games. You should definitely maybe listen to that dolphin. Emulation is very wrong even though they don't make Tales of Symphonia anymore and you can can't buy it new to support the developers.

Very wrong. Can't imagine what kind of awful person would engage in such a heinous act. It defies the senses.

 

[Obhraonian]

Snip (Graces Japan)

I understand Japanese...so is F like a sequel to Graces or something? Or is it an enhanced port? I would consider importing the Wii one if it would make F cooler to play.

Graces f is an enhanced port, better graphics more voiced dialog and a epilogue.

Everything has been suggested, but I'd like to post one caveat; I would avoid the Symphonia sequel for the Wii. It has some of the worst dialouge of any tales game, and one of the cheesiest love stories of all time. It's a shame, since the first one was so sweet.

Thanks for the heads up. Part of what made me interested in the series is the apparent lack of extreme melodrama and shit dubbing, basically trying to play the kinds of games that FF 10-2 - 13-2 should have been. [/quote]

I'll second that, it is god awful the female love interest has no character and everything she says is just fawning over the protagonist.

Tales of the Abyss (PS2)

Is the 3DS version better enough to justify getting a 3DS? It wouldn't be just for that, but if it was a compelling motivator that would be cool. Otherwise I've got a perfectly good PS2 until the list of 3DS games I want gets a little bigger.

The 3DS version is identical to the PS2 version apart from slightly faster load times, though I would say it is worth picking pick a 3DS if you are into JRPG as has 4 shin megami tensei games coming or all already on the system, etrain Odyssey, monster hunter and fire emblem

So...Tales of Symphonia is 130 fucking dollars. Same pain I get for not picking up Xenoblade at launch I guess.

Thank you again everyone, you guys are the best.[/quote]

I would recommend abyss as a good game to start with as it is one of the best. The appeal of the series, for me at least lies with the well developed characters, sympathetic villains, and fantastic combat. As for how it compares to FF well they are more consistently good but don't quite reach the heights that the best final fantasy games did.

 

[Warachia]

They are self contained stories, and most are better then the best Final Fantasy games, they are well worth going back to play, though you should avoid Tales of Legendia, that one's a huge dud, the best in the series though would be Tales of Vesperia from this console generation, and I'd recommend starting from that one, that one also completely subverts the vast majority of tropes in JRPG's.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

Snip

Alright, alright, I definitely need to get a 3DS XL. Maybe I'll purge some of these piles of games I don't play to offset it a bit.

Fun facts: A new copy of Tales of Destiny (PS1) is $800. $65 used. Tales of Destiny 2 is $349 new and $110 used. Definitely not starting there. Either the US got 200 copies of each or these games really are that badass.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

Snip

Thanks for the info and the heads up. It looks like I'm taking the steps towards getting a 3DS XL and jumping in with Abyss. If I come across Vespiria for the 360 I'll pick it up, as it's nowhere near as expensive as half the other ones are.

I wish you the best of luck into the frustrating world of Tales of games. (The frustration is based on the time it takes between announcement of a new Tales game to the time we get to know if we get it in the west or not and for me that also means Europe.)

I hear that. As I was looking into the games (and seeing the outrageous "crack is cheaper" prices), I noticed that Japan has been playing Xillia since 2011 and Xillia 2 is coming out soon over there. We're supposed to get Xillia in Q2 2013 or some unhelpful timeline like that. I'm just glad that I don't have to cling to Lost Odyssey as some kind of last bastion of the modern JRPG anymore (though that doesn't make it any less amazing).

 

[hazabaza1]

Snip

Snip

Thank you both so much for the info and insight. I don't have a 3DS, but it looks like Abyss will be first when I do pick up one. I have a Gamecube, so I'll be picking up Symphonia knowing now that there's no continuity issues. Have either of you played Graces F? Is that the one that sucks on 360 but not PS3 (or vice versa)? Thanks again guys.

Mentioned Graces F in my OP Maybe calling it ToGraces wasn't a great idea.

As far as I know it's PS3 exclusive apart from the Japanese wii version but that doesn't have the "F" (meaning 'future arc' I believe.) It's really good from what I've played so far, and it doesn't look like the quality will be decreasing any time soon.

 

[Yopaz]

Snip

Thanks for the info and the heads up. It looks like I'm taking the steps towards getting a 3DS XL and jumping in with Abyss. If I come across Vespiria for the 360 I'll pick it up, as it's nowhere near as expensive as half the other ones are.

I wish you the best of luck into the frustrating world of Tales of games. (The frustration is based on the time it takes between announcement of a new Tales game to the time we get to know if we get it in the west or not and for me that also means Europe.)

I hear that. As I was looking into the games (and seeing the outrageous "crack is cheaper" prices), I noticed that Japan has been playing Xillia since 2011 and Xillia 2 is coming out soon over there. We're supposed to get Xillia in Q2 2013 or some unhelpful timeline like that. I'm just glad that I don't have to cling to Lost Odyssey as some kind of last bastion of the modern JRPG anymore (though that doesn't make it any less amazing).

Yeah, it's annoying and getting an old Tales of game is hard. Always expensive, usually higher demand than supply. I spent montsh getting Tales of the Abyss, constantly looking for places that had it in stock. Vesperia is on Games on demand if you don't mind digital distribution. Honestly I wish you'd never find out about the series. No series has ever broken my heart as many times as this one. Still it's my favourite game series of all time.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

Snip

Snip

Thank you both so much for the info and insight. I don't have a 3DS, but it looks like Abyss will be first when I do pick up one. I have a Gamecube, so I'll be picking up Symphonia knowing now that there's no continuity issues. Have either of you played Graces F? Is that the one that sucks on 360 but not PS3 (or vice versa)? Thanks again guys.

Vesperia is the only Tales title on Xbox 360. There's a much better version on the PS3, but I hope you can read Japanese because it's not going to be localized.

Graces f is absolutely amazing. Very steadily paced story, amazingly fun and fast paced combat, collectibles out the wazoo. Although to be perfectly honest, I would recommend holding off on Graces f to play other Tales titles first, if possible. Graces f has references to the rest of the series draining out its ass like diarrhea. It's an amazing game, but even better if you've played previous Tales titles and can see the references.

Symphonia and the Abyss will be your easiest grabs. Destiny is also great, but on the PS1(should be no problems for a PS2 to play). But don't expect to get the PS2 Remake for Destiny, that's Japanese only. Unless, again, you can read Japanese. Destiny 2 is also JP only. If you search for Tales of Eternia make a search for Tales of Destiny 2, instead. It's an entirely different Tales game all on its own, but it was released in the US under the name of Destiny 2.

The Tales series is effectively the JRPG's real-time answer to Final Fantasy's turn-based style. And it's also much more anime style than Final Fantasy(obviously). Each title has its own unique combat system, all in real-time. Graces f uses a system that was created for the Destiny PS2 remake, and Vesperia uses an enhanced version of the Abyss' combat system. Phantasia and Destiny also have similar combat systems, being in 2D. Aside from that, they're all totally unique from one another and it's entirely safe to play whatever title you wish.

EDIT: Tales of Xillia comes out in the US July 2nd. Not sure why people keep saying that it hasn't got one yet.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

Kupo!

Just wait until you reach Lineage & Legacies(the future arc). Things take a very silly turn and it's utterly hilarious.

 

[hazabaza1]

Kupo!

Just wait until you reach Lineage & Legacies(the future arc). Things take a very silly turn and it's utterly hilarious.

Sounds good.
I'm alright with them messing with the tone once the main game is done, so looking forward to it.

 

[Weaver]

Tales of Graces F is probably my favourite in the whole series. Yep, even more than Symphonia.
I also really, really hated Vesperia. I would recommend staying away from it, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Launcelot111]

I've played most of the post-Symphonia releases, and not one has been a clunker. The battle system is uniformly fantastic (with Tales of Graces being even higher above the rest), the characters are fun if clinging a little too tightly to anime cliches, and the stories are nonsense, but there are always a billion sidequests that are pretty good.

Honestly, if you have a PS3/Xbox 360/3DS, then you can't go wrong with whichever one is on that system (Graces/Vesperia/Abyss respectively). If I had to pick one of those, it would be Vesperia by a hair, but again, you can't really go wrong. Vesperia is well rounded, while Graces has the really fantastic battle system but a less fantastic story. Vesperia over Abyss is just personal taste.

The one really key thing to note is that if you're a heavy completionist, you need a guide. Like, really need it. The Tales series is plagued with sidequest chains that have incredibly opaque, time-sensitive requirements. Vesperia in particular has special conditions for bonus rewards on every boss fight, but some are near impossible to figure out, much less to do.

 

[Darmy647]

Like everyone said, Graces is extremely great if you have a ps3. Symphonia is extremely great if you have a gamecube or a wii to play it on. One thing ive noticed people haven't been saying is that phantasia was released on the Playstation with a community patch thats been 100% translated to english. Easy to patch, easy to play, much more enhanced version of the GBA and Snes.I HIGHLY recommend it. Mostly because the PS1 Japanese purchases of the game are...well..lets say that 160 you saw for a purchase of it is cheap compared to what you may have to pay. So if your willing to give emulation a shot (ePsxe), by all means, i doubt namco would hate a fan.

Also, if you want to play them all, better get the hang of Japanese texts and what the pictures of items are and what they do. Ive played every tales game released so far and I'm currently playing tales of innocence R on my vita. I have no freaking idea whats going on, i have to read a script to go with it, but the combats excellent. Also, the vita is region free.

But yes, i recommend symphonia and the translation with Phantasia. Both are very very worth it.