Tales of Xillia

[Ranadiel]

So my thoughts.

Battle system is kind of bland. I mean I don't mind it or anything, but I just find myself using normal attacks with combo arts occasionally just to build up my numbers as I recall there is a title for using a certain number of them.

Shop system is annoying as pointed out earlier since I almost always find myself getting a discount on items I have already bought. I think I get the reason (the intention being to make it easier for people to catch up and people aren't "expected" to have the latest and greatest available), but it is still annoying because it is always just after.

Like my three characters alright so far. Curious to get proper introductions to all the rest. I've met one other party member so far. Really torn at the moment as to who my final party will consist of. "Puppet girl" is extremely likely since she seems to be the heavy caster. Really like rod girl and the old guy from the opening, but including both of them leaves only one open spot for Jude or Milla both of which I want to include. Alvin is....the bottom of a fairly decent barrel so he is out of the running.

Side note, I really like Milla's....fighting archetype. She basically seems to fall into what I mentally refer to as a Pactknight (aka Mageknight who uses pact magic) archetype, or at least the closest that I can recall seeing in a video game before. I made a character back during middle/high school who uses a similar fighting concept so I like seeing it used even if the details are a little different (my character was a normal human who made pacts with the great elemental spirits rather than being their overlord). Also Maxwell has always been my favorite summon in Tales  games, so that is always a plus.

[Tomara]

There's no real need to only use four of the six characters. The games makes it really easy to switch characters in and out during battle and there are some (small) strategical advantages to doing so.

[Dice]

Yeah Jude's not much of a lead -- just a kid who got lucky.

It's pretty fun to play as most of the characters, they function very differently and are pretty diverse. 

I feel like the game's length is kinda hampering it, forcing drama and interactions and technically giving little exposure to the fancy world.  And seriously, the dungeons suck... 3x of a very "samey" map then a dungeon that's just walking, climbing, and jumping.  I liked Graces' world map more by comparison because they added Discoveries and tried to divert the appearances and make new paths... this is just sort of "world map chunks", they don't even have a goddamn river running through them or any real environmental markers.

And while the cast is more direct, it's odd but I just don't think they jive as well together as, say, the Symphonia cast or Vesperia one.

[AuraChannelerChris]

I learned something important from this game.

Sharing is caring.

[Dice]

I learned something important from this game.

Sharing is caring.

GO TEEPO
SHARING IS CARING

GO TEEPO
SHARING IS CARING

GO TEEPO
SHARING IS CARING

GO TEEPO
SHARING IS CARING

GO TEEPO
SHARING IS CARING

GO TEEPO
SHARING IS CARING

GO TEEPO
SHARING IS CARING

... I'd love a Chimeriad DLC story.

[Agent D.]

BAZONGAS....

[Tomara]

YOKED-OUT BAZONGAS

[AuraChannelerChris]

BAZONGAS ARE IMPORTANT PARTS OF MANHOOD.

[Dice]

ROWEN'S PRETTY COOL FOR SOMEONE SO OLD

[Goblin Shark]

I just watched a video of that bazongas skit.  Methinks Jude's nose would gush blood if Sorceress from Dragon's Crown just happened to walk by.  Sorry, but you can't talk bazongas without mentioning her.  

Good skit, though.  Reminds me of the type of nonsense me, my guitarist, and my drummer do to each other while our singer (the only girl in the band) points and laughs at us being stupid and we saying, "What?!  This is called male bonding."  

[Tomara]

I loved Milla's reaction. "I've read about this in a book. It's called puberty. We're supposed to be understanding and supportive."

[Ashton]

Reminds me of sitting with guy friends and rating women that passed by.

"How about her?"

"Decent. A 6. Her?"

"Damn, I'd say 9. What about her?"

"Ew... A 3."

"Really? I thought you liked big tits."

"Not when they look like sacks of oatmeal."

[Annubis]

Sharing is caring.

GO TEEPO
SHARING IS CARING

JUDE MAKE ME SOMETHING!

[Klyde Chroma]

However, I do agree with the fellow who finds Jude intolerable.  I know in JRPG world he's going to be a hero, but I just can't get behind the guy using his wee wee as a dowsing rod to find the underwater stream of justice that will guide his life.

Off to continue the game!

That would be me Mr. Ferret!! *raises hand*

Lets start a club sir :)

[Tomara]

Sometimes it's difficult to make out what they're shouting during battle, though. Force Wave didn't sound like Force Wave the first time I heard it, more like "For- --a-". Which didn't make much sense, considering it's a move where Alvin empties his gun and Jude gets creative with his fists.  

(This game has a bad influence on innocent little me.)