Tales of Vesperia - to persist or not?

[Danbo Jambo]

I'm around 6 hours in and have just reached the part where I've recieved the sorcerer's ring. Whilst it's quite good here and there, the overall feeling I've got is that of "meh", and I'm begining to wonder if I should persist with it?

I love JRPGs, have recently played through Shadow Hearts 2 again and thrived on it totally, but a few things irk me with TOV.

Firstly, the combat so far has been utter crap IMO. I don't find it instinctive at all, half the time the character I'm controling aims in the totally opposite direction I want them too, either that or they jump too much. Overall it feels messy, awkward and annoys.

Secondly, I'm not saying it's not interesting, but it's all very by the numbers and bland so far. There's no surprises and everything is very formulaic.

So does it get better? Is it worth me persisting, or if I don't particularly like it now is it better to put time elsewhere?

 

[MysticSlayer]

Personally, I enjoyed Tales of Vesperia a lot. It does start off a little slow, but I don't remember it taking that long to get going. Once you reach the guilds (maybe a little after) is when things start to really get going. Until then, though, you basically are just running through a 10-12 hour intro to the story that's more concerned with introducing the basic characters and ideas than going anywhere with them. Personally, I found it to be one of the better-written games from last generation. That said it still embraces a lot of cliches, but it often does that to make a joke out of it some time along the way.

As far as the combat is concerned, have you fiddled around with the options at all? Some options, such as the degree to which the game assists you with combat, can make the whole ordeal quite annoying if you have the wrong thing selected. Generally, though, the Tales series have some very solid combat, and Vesperia is no exception. However, if you've optimized the options and the basics still aren't working for you, then the combat probably never will work. You still haven't seen everything it has to offer, but most of it will add doesn't drastically change the way battles progress outside of some of the larger ones.

 

[Prime_Hunter_H01]

Tales usual thing is to lure you in to thinking its a formulaic JRPG but then doing something out of the ordinary that usually subverts one of more expected tropes of the genre. So this is really a case of it gets better once a few hours in.

 

[Ultress]

I'd say yeah,they add new mechanics along the way and as someone else said fiddling with the settings might help. The story is not the best in the series but it's still decent and the characters are well developed and enjoyable.

 

[WarpedLord]

Love that game. Give it a chance if you can...

 

[Chaos Isaac]

Keep going. You're not that far in if I remember, and things are still being kinda set up for the campaign to really take off. As for the Combat, it gets better, at least in my opinion. It can be a bit dry starting, but once you start getting a few more things the combat comes more to life, though never really changes at its core.

Hopefully it'll win you, but then again, it may not just be your bag.

 

[JCrichton]

The biggest drawback to the Tales games is exactly what you are describing: the slow bake until the really good stuff in the final 75% of the game. Vesperia is worth it for all that comes later, including better combat.

 

[Danbo Jambo]

Thanks very much everyone. I'm gonna give it another 6-7 hours and see how things go.

Regards the combat, I'm playing manually and have re-adjusted the controller. Are there any other settings to change? I'm not liking it so far because most of the time I try to attack I miss. It all feels very awkward. To try and solve the issue I'm gonna try playing as Rita to see if her style suits me. I don't like Yuri's, and I like Repede's speed, but again he never seems to hit anything.

 

[Rylot]

I seem to remember there being a lock on mechanic, but it's been a really long time since I've played it. I really liked the story with the dichotomy between Yuri and Finn (I think his name was) and when it helps to work within the establishment and when you need to take matters into your own hands.

Spoiler

and I loved that Yuri had no qualms about straight up murdering evil and corrupt people within the government that couldn't be touched by Finn, thought that was a great subversion of the typical tropes.

 

[Danbo Jambo]

Gameplay wise it's been too long since I've played it, but I remember during my first playtrough having some problems with the combat, and then somewhere along the line it clicked with me and I enjoyed it/got good at it. Make of that what you will. Once you get a lot more artes and skills it denifitely speeds up.

Story-wise it gets really good after the first act, since all the characters are introduced and the main conflict begins.

Also, I'm guessing you haven't gotten to Gattuso yet?

You get to play as the legendary Italian midfielder?!!??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LVV34wfuM4

 

[MysticSlayer]

Regards the combat, I'm playing manually and have re-adjusted the controller. Are there any other settings to change? I'm not liking it so far because most of the time I try to attack I miss. It all feels very awkward. To try and solve the issue I'm gonna try playing as Rita to see if her style suits me. I don't like Yuri's, and I like Repede's speed, but again he never seems to hit anything.

If I remember correctly (been a while since I've played a Tales game), "manual" is more for those who have a lot of experience with the Tales series and feel comfortable with the combat. If your biggest problem is that you are missing stuff, you might want to change that. It will limit what you can do to an extent, but actually being able to enjoy the combat is better than banging your head against a wall in the hopes that you can pull off a flashy combo similar to those on YouTube. That said, you can still do some very impressive stuff even without manual.

 

[Danbo Jambo]

Regards the combat, I'm playing manually and have re-adjusted the controller. Are there any other settings to change? I'm not liking it so far because most of the time I try to attack I miss. It all feels very awkward. To try and solve the issue I'm gonna try playing as Rita to see if her style suits me. I don't like Yuri's, and I like Repede's speed, but again he never seems to hit anything.

If I remember correctly (been a while since I've played a Tales game), "manual" is more for those who have a lot of experience with the Tales series and feel comfortable with the combat. If your biggest problem is that you are missing stuff, you might want to change that. It will limit what you can do to an extent, but actually being able to enjoy the combat is better than banging your head against a wall in the hopes that you can pull off a flashy combo similar to those on YouTube. That said, you can still do some very impressive stuff even without manual.

Thanks mate, I'll give sem-auto a good go instead then!

 

[votemarvel]

Thanks very much everyone. I'm gonna give it another 6-7 hours and see how things go.

You've more patience than I.

My usual allowance for a game to impress me is 5 to 7 hours. If I'm not enjoying it by then, well I suspect that I'm never going to enjoy it and stop.

If a game isn't interesting for me from, or very near, the start then I don't see the point in spending my limited free time on it.

 

[Yopaz]

Regards the combat, I'm playing manually and have re-adjusted the controller. Are there any other settings to change? I'm not liking it so far because most of the time I try to attack I miss. It all feels very awkward. To try and solve the issue I'm gonna try playing as Rita to see if her style suits me. I don't like Yuri's, and I like Repede's speed, but again he never seems to hit anything.

If I remember correctly (been a while since I've played a Tales game), "manual" is more for those who have a lot of experience with the Tales series and feel comfortable with the combat. If your biggest problem is that you are missing stuff, you might want to change that. It will limit what you can do to an extent, but actually being able to enjoy the combat is better than banging your head against a wall in the hopes that you can pull off a flashy combo similar to those on YouTube. That said, you can still do some very impressive stuff even without manual.

Thanks mate, I'll give sem-auto a good go instead then!

I am a long time fan of the series and I don't like playing on manual. Semi-auto is preferable since you won't miss as often.

However if you don't like the game after playing for an hour on two on semi-auto don't bother. The gameplay is really important in enjoying a game and if you don't enjoy it don't play it for the story. The story isn't bad, but you'll find just as good in other games that suit your tastes. Hopefully you'll be able to enjoy it though.

 

[Diablo2000]

I think it's a good game, it's on a bit on the easy side, the game never tells about all the important side-quests so you lock yourself out of most them before you realized that, the enviremental message it's as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face and the end it's anti climatic. (Fight boring guy then kill the thing you were hoping to kill in a cutscene)
But I liked a lot of the characters and some of the dialogues you can have on the world map and towns are hilarious, I never used the cooking function... Ever, so I think that's what's triggered a string of several dialogue where the characters complain of hunger. It felt natural if that was what it triggered.

 

[Danbo Jambo]

You get to play as the legendary Italian midfielder?!!??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LVV34wfuM4

Kill the boss sharing his name rather, a proverbial brick wall that has a nasty tendency of hitting you in the face until you fall over.

So yes pretty much good old Gatty in animal form.

Ha ha ha *tipshat*. Can't wait till that part now, the Gatty referance will make it even better.

You've more patience than I.

My usual allowance for a game to impress me is 5 to 7 hours. If I'm not enjoying it by then, well I suspect that I'm never going to enjoy it and stop.

If a game isn't interesting for me from, or very near, the start then I don't see the point in spending my limited free time on it.

I think 5 to 7 hours is a fair amount of time mate so can't fault you and I've given up on games in the past at that point. What changed my perspective was two of my fave games ever - Dragon Age:Origins & The Witcher 2.

DA:O I found OK, but a bit fiddley at first, however after persisting I totally fell in love with it. However, TW2 was the real eye opener. I HATED it at first, I played through the first chapter and thought it was awful. However, thanks to advice from other gamers, I persisted and wow, what a game lay beneath.

The trouble is so many games allow you to tailor your experience now that if you play a way which isn't suited to you it can be very offputting, so I at least allow for myself to try the game from all different angles.

Thinking about it Deaus Ex:HR was another - playing stealthy was boring as sin for me, whereas playing as a psycho killer badass felt mint.

With all that said, I tried Dragon Age 2 from every angle possible, and still feel bitter as bugger for every hour wasted enduring that torturous slog! lol. So you take the rough with the smooth.

I am a long time fan of the series and I don't like playing on manual. Semi-auto is preferable since you won't miss as often.

However if you don't like the game after playing for an hour on two on semi-auto don't bother. The gameplay is really important in enjoying a game and if you don't enjoy it don't play it for the story. The story isn't bad, but you'll find just as good in other games that suit your tastes. Hopefully you'll be able to enjoy it though.

Brilliant, thanks for that chap, between that and the other posts I've a nice little target to aim for. Semi-auto and another 6-7 hours gaming, then we'll know where we are at.

Much appriciated.

 

[Danbo Jambo]

Sorry lads & lasses, but I played roughly another 3 hours and I just detest the combat so have decided to quit. Whenever I encounter a tough challenge I just don't feel like I'm involved enough to make a difference, and that all that really matters is the level which I am at. I'm playing semi auto, but I'm still missing enemies, and it all feels like flash over substance, artificial and gimmicky. Tactics seem none existant, and each fight just seems to de-volve into a button mash.

Shame, because I really wanted to enjoy the game, and the story was starting to get interesting. But regartdless I appriciate the advice and responses.

 

[MysticSlayer]

Tactics seem none existant, and each fight just seems to de-volve into a button mash.

I know it might be pointless to bring it up at this point, but a lot of the tactics occur outside of combat. From what I remember, fiddling with the party AI is rather important in Vesperia, especially since the AI is rather stupid on its own. Choosing battle formations isn't important on Easy and Normal, but it might be important on Hard (never tried at that level), and it can at least set you up to avoid some problems against tougher bosses.

In combat, though, there is the ability to change what Artes your party members can use (which is critical when facing enemies that are weak or immune to certain types), and you can tell them directly which Artes to use and how to use them. This is probably the only way to really break from button mashing early on before getting Artes that specifically encourage more thoughtful attacks, and it is pretty much required to beat at least one boss.

But yeah, if you've already tried all that, then there's really nothing else to do.

the enviremental message it's as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face

Spoiler

To be fair, they at least waited until revealing the Adephagos before really hitting you over the head with the environmental message. Up until then, they managed to keep it mostly hidden behind some of the side commentary.