Tales of PlayStation(s) revealed

[Ashton]

Hmm, maybe I'll check out Abyss. That's the one they ported over to the 3DS, right? Has anyone played that version? Is it worth getting?

Shameless self plug time

[Dice]

Hmm, maybe I'll check out Abyss. That's the one they ported over to the 3DS, right? Has anyone played that version? Is it worth getting?

Shameless self plug time

And on that: I feel like a lot of Abyss' battle system is a wasted opportunity. 

FOF was best with Jade in the party, but only with a high level spell (I still find the trade-off between how much damage they can deal vs. time spent casting a dubious matter for mages).  Made worse that only certain skills worked for them which would limit the artes you have equipped to a set that catered to FOF's.

Free run makes a lot of even the hardest bosses a mere exercise in running circles around them.

The 'Chambers' (forgot their formal name) are way too few and take way too long to build up and experiment with.

And unless you're planning on carrying over capacity core's or using 2x EXP in New Game+ then building AD skills just sucks butt.

I'd kill to see a proper remake of Abyss, graphically I think it would be stunning, but also to give a battle system that had tons of good ideas a new opportunity to shine.

[Klutz64]

@Alisha: At the rate I play JRPGs, I'll probably still be working on Xillia 1 in January.

[Bleaker]

I'm afraid I'm going to have to skip on them for the next year or so. My gaming budget is tight. When I run out of things to play though, Tales of Xillia shall be mine! Now I should probably finish that other Tales game I have...

[Dice]

JP to NA/EU name changes already floating:

Ludger Will Kresnik = is now Ludger Kresnik
Elle Mel Mata = is now Elle Marta
Lulu = is now Rollo

While I hate that cat based on the fact it's just a fat mascot (and literally people clamoured to that thing from day 1 because "lol fat cat"), I can only wonder the translating ethics[?] on going from a cat named 'Lulu' to 'Rollo' (I'm guessing it's a pun thing)....and eliminating middle names... and giving Elle a last name that's already the name of another character in the series (ToS2).  I'm not really a stickler for name changes either way beyond mere curiosity.

[Zendervai]

What is the point of dropping middle names? I mean, those are both actual names (although Mel is short for Melanie) so, why?

[Dice]

What is the point of dropping middle names? I mean, those are both actual names (although Mel is short for Melanie) so, why?

I've been told Lulu>Rollo IS a pun thing (how you say "roll" in japanese or something to that effect sounds like "lu lu").
But yeah, the middle name bit is pointless, and the Mata>Marta is just odd.

I also wanna take this moment to add, and after a careful look, Ludger is a damn dapper looking sunavabitch.

[Akanbe-]

I thought Fonon's were one of the coolest magic systems in Tales history, to be honest. I liked it a lot better than Aer/Blastia in Vesperia and Cryas in Graces.

Also, Tales of the Abyss is my favorite because of one very key scene:

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Luke's issues with killing an enemy soldier. How many JRPGs throw human enemies at you and no one ever says anything about the wholesale slaughter your ragtag group of anime teenagers just performed? I cannot think of many other JRPGs that out right say that when you fight human enemies you are in fact killing them, and goes so far as to address the issue. I understand that this is largely done in part to demonstrate the depth of Luke's sheltered upbringing, but so much of JRPGs normal battles seem to exist on an abstract level that they sometimes feel disconnected from the rest of the game. I guess what I'm saying is that TotA took a look at something tons of RPGs do and most players take in stride.

I think some of it stems from that sometimes when a person's healthbar is completely depleted they are dead, and other times they are just unconscious/knocked out.  Inconsistencies like that are a pet peeve of mine.

[Agent D.]

Kinda like in metal gear games when you do.a solid sneak, no kills all tranqs run and still watch as bosses die, or you get called a murderer but haven't killed anyone...

I always assume that enemies were just KO'd in battles, unless they were monsters or animals since you would usually get parts off said enemies. Not like after killing a group of humanoid enemies you'd get bones, marrow, eyeballs, etc...

[Klutz64]

So I have to share that I loved the events in Tales of Graces F at the bottom of Lambda's Cocoon. The game really managed to pull one over on me.

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I was all like, "OH. WOW. EMERAUDE IS THE REAL VILLAIN!? I *never* saw that one co-- Oh. Okay... Well then."
I don't know if they were intentionally making fun of J-RPG convention, but I certainly chuckled.

[Dice]

So I have to share that I loved the events in Tales of Graces F at the bottom of Lambda's Cocoon. The game really managed to pull one over on me.

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I was all like, "OH. WOW. EMERAUDE IS THE REAL VILLAIN!? I *never* saw that one co-- Oh. Okay... Well then."
I don't know if they were intentionally making fun of J-RPG convention, but I certainly chuckled.

I thought the way you see her in a flashback of her later a bit more surprising....because yeah, I don't think anybody was fooled by her darkside. 

Allegedly, Tales of Xillia was leaked today for like an hour and with an extra $30 price tag.

[Cyril]

Actually. . .

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That flashback with her later firmly sets Emeraude into the position of "true antagonist" of the game.
I was actually surprised that a Tales of game did something like this, but the whole thing was very impressively done. Definite kudos
need to be given for it as a literary device.

I know such comparisons are a no-no most of the time, but really, it's much like Hojo's influence in Final Fantasy VII.

[Dice]

Actually. . .

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That flashback with her later firmly sets Emeraude into the position of "true antagonist" of the game.
I was actually surprised that a Tales of game did something like this, but the whole thing was very impressively done. Definite kudos
need to be given for it as a literary device.

I know such comparisons are a no-no most of the time, but really, it's much like Hojo's influence in Final Fantasy VII.

No I agree, I definitely like the idea of her being the main antagonist than Lambda, they played it off really well (say, compared to the way Tales of Vesperia handled Duke.....).

Anyways, more Symphonia costumes:  Colette is Rita and (you guessed it) Sheena is Judith.
https://twitter.com/flamfas/status/357487879095742464

[Aeolus]

http://www.siliconera.com/2013/07/17/namco-bandai-file-trademarks-for-tales-of-zestoria-and-more/

I'd be down for Tales of Zestoria.

Mmm. Zesty!

Although, Tales of Catastora sounds catastrophic.

*dramatic camera pan* Tales just got creales!

[Dice]

They're all awful, but I have less issues with saying "Tales of Castration"