Author Topic: Tales of Symphonia!  (Read 8282 times)

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Offline Bill Aurion

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Tales of Symphonia!
« on: July 20, 2004, 11:01:03 AM »
Alright, I've been waiting a VERY long time to review this gem...Let's get started, eh? ^_^

Visuals - There's just nothing that fits an RPG of this style than cel-shaded goodness.  The environments can be absolutely breath-taking at times, and locations like the interiors of homes are just beautiful...Even though you never really notice in a heated battle, you can see the surroundings look like you are fighting in an oil painting...The cons?  Namco trying to use real-time cutscenes in scenes where it just looks bad.  Also, the overworld isn't "pretty" so to speak, but it's nowhere near as bad as many reviews, even here at PGC, were making it out to be...Overall, it doesn't effect anything...Oh, and the character design is lovely...
-------Score: 9.0

Gameplay - Ah, the skeleton of a game...As a Tales of Phantasia enthusiast, I was really looking forward to seeing what Namco would do with the linear battle style that worked so well in ToP...And not only did Namco match it, it easily surpassed it!  For newbies to the system, all action is carried out in realtime...You can control any of the characters and your teammates will be computer-controlled...

The problem with ToP's battles was that it was really tough to go after enemies towards the back of the line without taking damage, but with ToS's 3d-linear battle system, it makes targeting specific enemies much easier...The other problem with ToP was your computer-controlled teammates...They could end up performing a manuever that you didn't want, and end up making the battle much harder than you wished it to be...ToS' computer-teammate AI is much, MUCH better this time around, and they haven't screwed up on me yet(your computer-controlled teammates' strategy can be adjusted in the menu in or out of battle...Thus, you can adjust your team so they stay back and heal, or go full-on with the enemy with only melee attacks, or a mix of melee and magic attacks from afar...It's your choice )...Kudos, Namco...You made a great battle style even better...
-------Score: 10

Controls - Really quite spotless...I've had no problem with anything in battle...The control stick is used to run towards and away from your enemy on a linear path...A is your regular attack, B is used for techs, Y is to open the menu, X is to block, and the triggers are used to change targets(/vary your linear path)...Very simple, and easy to get used to...
-------Score: 10

Sound - The music in this game is absolutely fantastic, which isn't surprising considering the music was done by the team of Motoi Sakuraba, who's known for his work on Star Ocean, Golden Sun, Valkyrie Profile, Baten Kaitos, etc...Though a lot of the music is brand-new, I'm glad that familiar tunes from ToP were resurrected and remixed, such as "Fighting of the Spirit" and "Mysterious Japon"...Now onto sound effects/voice acting...The voice acting surprised me, because...It's actually not bad! ^_^  Of course, though certain characters do a better job than others(like Kratos.) the overall deal is one of the best I've seen...The additional voices before and after battle are also a really nice touch, and only further pull you in...
-------Score: 10

Replay/Story/Lastability - Ok, first things first: the story is hardly cliched...Whoever says it is hasn't play long at all...It's a facade...That's all I'll say  Ok?  Ok...Not only is the story pushed forward through ingame cutscenes, but also through what I'll call "Z-chats"  These Z-chats will appear at the bottom left of your screen as you progress through your game...Press Z and a skit will play out on screen with certain characters...The choices you make during these skits or others can effect some events later on in the game, which is a very nice touch...You can also find something I call "Chat rings" hidden on the overworld...These are hidden in the corners of the overworld, off the beaten path...These chat rings really don't play a part in the overall story, but on little things that only matter to your teammates...I'm still waiting to see whether your responses during these little skits effect later events/relations with your teammates, but I wouldn't doubt it...Either way, these two things only pull me in deeper and really make me feel as if I'm in the game(something only Zelda titles and Metroid Prime have ever been able to do!)
-------Score: 10

Now, onto replay...When I can find an RPG where I WANT to get into battle, you know the developer made some great decisions for the battle style...But of course, you already know that...  I've spent hours just fighting enemies, learning new techniques and combo patterns...So far I'm 24 hours in, and probably slightly more than halfway through the game...So it's a decent-sized adventure...And I can count on starting a new game once I finish this one...
-------Score(estimate): 8

Overall - The linear-3d battle setup is excellent, the visuals fit perfectly, the music is soothing/heart-pumping/anxiety-raising at the right moments, and the story is misleading and tricky...My only qualms are the lack of anime cutscenes during certain events(you'll know where when you see them...why have the anime clips in the opening and not have them in the game? -__-  I wouldn't have complained about this if they didn't make any at all) and the SLIGHTLY boring overworld...Yeah, that's it...And if you don't decide to get the game because of that, then you shouldn't call yourself a gamer!

Tales of Symphonia: 9.5    
~Former Resident Zelda Aficionado and Nintendo Fan~

Offline nitsu niflheim

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2004, 10:04:29 AM »
I don't think I could have put it better.  Though I will say the beginning of the game starts off similar to Final Fanasty X, but IMO is much better, and the story really contains some very good plot twists, ones I was never expecting to happen, which IMO really add a level of dedication to wanting to give the player a good worthwhile playing experience.  Also I agree that the voice acting was handled very well.

I love the battles in this game too, I find that instead of avoided them, like I wind up dreading in other RPG's, this one they are fun, and also if you want to max out your collecting, you need to get into fights so you can add the enemies to your monster collection, and using the lens on them.  The only complaint about that is that you have to use a lens on each monster everytime you meet one to know who much HP it has, it's a shame that you just couldn't use it one and forever beable to see how much HP it has, since the only way to see it is to press the R Trigger button, the same button used to target.  But that is just me and in now way takes away from a game that I feel is as close to perfect a game can get.

<3 Namco!
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Offline Flames_of_chaos

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RE:Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2004, 08:02:53 PM »
1. Atleast these reader reviews arent like the nintendo.com reader reviews (BLOL!) 2. This is why I hate best buy for not having ToS in stock STILL!!!!. 3. Good review  
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Offline thecubedcanuck

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2004, 12:54:07 PM »
After playing this, I cant for the life of me, understand how anyone could enjoy it.

Oh well.
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Offline Bill Aurion

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2004, 12:58:25 PM »
I could very well say the same thing about your EA games... =P  
~Former Resident Zelda Aficionado and Nintendo Fan~

Offline thecubedcanuck

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2004, 01:11:15 PM »
" I could very well say the same thing about your EA games... =P "

you could, and most people would disagree with you.
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Offline Bill Aurion

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2004, 01:47:18 PM »
Just because more people like something more than another means nothing...Each person has individual likes and dislikes, even if it puts them in the minority...And I probably am in the minority thanks to casual gamers...

To outright wonder why someone would like a game only proves that you only think about what you like and don't consider the tastes of others...I sense a strong dislike of others' opinions on your part and I disapprove of it...
~Former Resident Zelda Aficionado and Nintendo Fan~

Offline thecubedcanuck

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2004, 02:04:17 PM »
"To outright wonder why someone would like a game only proves that you only think about what you like and don't consider the tastes of others...I sense a strong dislike of others' opinions on your part and I disapprove of it... "

I honestly dont care what you like or dont like Bill. You like it, enjoy it. I dont dislike others opinions, I just dont nessasrily understand them. I make a living trying to spot trends, and the reason i always run into you, is that, you always seem to be bucking that trend. No hard feelings at all. We can simply agree that we may be the two most non alike people on the planet.
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Offline odifiend

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2004, 04:24:38 PM »
cubed: I'll agree that sports are a huge trend but if you can't recognize why anyone would enjoy an active RPG, I don't know how good at your job you could be.  It sounds like you've already made your decision so I won't waste time trying to convince you, but ToS is everything and more for RPG lovers and even has the ability to pull in most people who don't like the genre.
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Offline thecubedcanuck

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2004, 06:06:22 PM »
odifiend

I just dont like PRG's. Playing this only re-enforced it for me.
All I am saying is I dont get how people can find this fun. It just does nothing for me. I couldnt possibly be more bored.

To those who like it, all the power to you. I truly hope it is all you could ask for.
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Offline KDR_11k

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2004, 10:02:12 PM »
Well, as the sales for the Final Fantasy games and even ToS show, there are a lot of people who disagree with you .

Offline Deguello

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2004, 01:18:13 AM »
"After playing this, I cant for the life of me, understand how anyone could enjoy it."

Wow Cubed.  NICE Flamebait.

Edit:  BTW, this is how NOT to respond to these threads.  Cubed, you add nothing but your own opinion with no actual discussion and get SHOCKED when people disagree with you.  You do not discuss the merit of the subject.  In fact, considering the last time this crap happened was when you were all pissy that Wind Waker was Cel-shaded, I believe you were in here for the sole purpose of picking a fight.  And it is quite evident that the first thing you said was a particularly blunt attack with little substance and grand generalizations about who would like what.

And by the way cubed, just so you know where I stand about your little derail argument, I side with Bill, because Bill is a nice contributing member here who wanted to have a little reader review about Tales of Symphonia (it is great, isn't it?), and I don't side with you, because you are disgusting troll filth.  This crap's over.

Now, back on topic.  Regal kicks a lot.
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Offline KnowsNothing

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2004, 07:40:07 AM »
Nice review. :thumbsup:

I'll just add a few things from my gameplay experience. I have taken ToS out of my GameCube only twice, and that was to play Skies of Arcadia for about 15-30 minutes before switching back.  My in game clock is around 50-some-odd hours, yet I am only about 18 hours into the game (just an estimate).  Why is this?  Becasue I know for a fact that when I return to my GC I WILL want to play ToS, so I just leave it running.  I suppose this couldn't be too good for my GC, but meh.  Also, I sometimes leave the game running so that when I'm surfing the WWW I can listen to the wonderful music in the background.  I don't believe that I have opened winamp to play any music since I've gotten the game.

I play for HOURS every day.  I can't get any work done.  I have a lot of summer homework to do, and I have to clean my room () but I can't bring myself to do anything but play ToS.  ToS is a blessing, but also a curse.  Every morning  I look forward to booting up my GC to advance in my epic adventure with Lloyd, Sheena (:ilovesheenaemoticon: ), Genis, Raine, and all of my other friends. ^_^  If anything should happen to them, I would die. ;__;

ToS most likely my favorite RPG of all time although I haven't gotten very far in ChronoTrigger, yet..., and is most definitley in my top 10 games of all time, most likely in the top 5, too.  

And that's how much I love this game. ^_^  (The only thing they should have added was the option to change to outfit on the characters.  You know, to buy clothes in a store and play dress up.  Sheena's dress kinda annoys me becasue the colors on them aren't common in the rest of the game, so it's a wee bit tough on the eyes. >_<.)

Tales of EDIT:  Looks like I can infact change outfits. =p  Yay! =D

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Offline Deguello

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2004, 07:55:01 AM »
"The only thing they should have added was the option to change to outfit on the characters. "

It is very possible to do that.
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Offline KDR_11k

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2004, 09:19:55 AM »
KnowsNothing: Now you know what an Evercrack addict feels like, eh?

Offline Urkel

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RE:Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #15 on: July 28, 2004, 08:39:14 PM »
TOS is quite possibly my all-time favorite RPG. It's just so damn fun. I played it for nearly ten hours the first day I got it.

Easily the best battle system of any RPG. The AI controlled teammates are surprisingly good. Not as good as a human player, but better than I ever hoped. They're smart enough to suddenly go after an enemy that's in the middle of casting a spell in order to stop it. I've seen them use their special Guardian abilites moments before they're hit by a devestatingly powerful attack. They're very dependable.

I've beaten the game at 56 hours, and it's amazing how much stuff I missed. Tons of replay value.

Buy this game, you INFERIOR BEINGS!
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Offline nitsu niflheim

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #16 on: August 03, 2004, 09:05:31 AM »
Yes I agree on that, the AI in ToS is very good.  In other games like this it was nothing for the Ai controlled to do everything all stupid and stuff.  
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Offline evil intentions

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RE:Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #17 on: August 17, 2004, 08:37:41 PM »
Can't believe I missed this thread.  Should have known it would be Bill to create it.

I absolutly LOVE this game.  The story is great.  This is one of those games where I have to play it whenever I get the chance.  I'd say it's my second favorite game with WW in the lead.  

Quote

After playing this, I cant for the life of me, understand how anyone could enjoy it.


I don't understand how you can't enjoy it.   Even my brother, (who absolutly hates RPGs) has come into my room and asked if he could play ToS with me.  Maybe it's for the battles, but I'd say it's because this game is amazing.  I love the cel-shaded characters, the music, and the story.  I love the way you begin thinking one thing, and find out it was all a lie and you've been deceived from the beginning.

Right at the moment, I am at 43 hours of gameplay.

Quote

And that's how much I love this game. ^_^ (The only thing they should have added was the option to change to outfit on the characters. You know, to buy clothes in a store and play dress up. Sheena's dress kinda annoys me becasue the colors on them aren't common in the rest of the game, so it's a wee bit tough on the eyes. >_<.)


I don't know about the dress up part...^_^  But, I've read that you can actually change your characters clothes.  I think you have to talk to the right people at certain times and they will give you a new costume.  Here are the costumes:
Lloyd: Pirate Costume
Colette: Maid Costume
Genis: Katz Costume
Raine: Maiden Costume
Kratos: Judgment Costume
Zelos: Masked Swordsman Costume
Sheena: Mizuho Costume
Presea: Klonoa Costume
Regal: Chef Costume
Lloyd, and the two closest characters with him: Beach costumes
Lloyd and three other characters: Noble Costumes


To wear a costume you acquired, you must have the corresponding title assigned
in your status.  And that's all I know about them. I'm not sure how to switch to the costumes or anything since I've never gotten them.  
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Offline KnowsNothing

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #18 on: August 18, 2004, 05:00:06 AM »
Yeah yeah, I gotcha.  There are actually quite a few costumes I know how to get, but I discovered last night that I need to be further in the game to get them.  So I guess it's time to stop fooling around
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Offline Mario

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #19 on: January 18, 2005, 04:13:12 AM »
I finally got around to finishing this monster of a game, my thoughts. Not a proper review because I couldn't be bothered, and i'm not the type of game who would accurately review an RPG.

Graphics - Nothing wrong with them, 10 / 10

Everything else:

- The game was TOO long, 86 hours to get to the ending of the main story is ridiculous, by the end I was just playing for the mere reason of finishing it.

- This might stem from the fact that I don't like RPGs, but I really don't like learning so much crap like you haev to in this game, some things like cooking and unison attacks looked too complicated and as a result I just didn't touch them throughout the entire game, and I feel i've missed chunks of the game because of this.

- Sometimes I was just wondering around the field with no clue what I was doing, which I blame on a few poor explanations and hints of where i'm supposed to go. Or something. There were times where I lost my sense of purpose.

+ I love the characters, I don't usually pay attention to stuff like this in videogames but they grew on me and I felt for them, which greatly added to the experience of this game.

+ The story is incredible, so many awesome plot twists and lots of unexpected things happen, I actually read the skits and followed this story without falling asleep, which is an accomplishment.

+ While the battle system took a while to get used to, I like it, it's fun. Battling is fun.

+ Great music

Overall I was very surprised with this game, and I enjoyed it very much, it even distracted me from Metroid Prime 2 for TWO WEEKS, well done on creating a fantastic game Namco. Overall i'd give it a 9.0. It's not 9.1 worthy because there were too many things in it that made me angry.

Offline Caillan

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #20 on: January 18, 2005, 05:09:15 PM »
Well I've stopped playing about 23 hours in (I'm in Ymir Forest), because of all the other games I want to play now. Though I enjoyed it this far, especially at the start, there are a few real flaws with it which just infuriate me. I'll write some initial thoughts now, and a proper review f I ever finish it.

1) Regarding the voice acting: I've heard people mention that the acting is better than most other RPGs, but Collette's accent alone makes me want to turn it off. When characters speak to each other is often sounds disjointed, as if it had been put together from seperate takes.

2) I realise I'm not very far into it, but story has not impressed me. The story seems to be driven solely by plot twists, most of which I can at least guess at before they happen. Every cut scene I'm waiting for a Chrono Trgger-esque twist which will smash the crappy cliches and make it good again.

3) This bugged me with Golden Sun as well: the world's 'theme', if you could call it that, with half-elves and dwarves etc. is well done and atmospheric, but the enemies you fight are crap. The rest of the game is pretty serious, so fighting giant wind-up teddy-bears and ghosts with sheets on them is incongrous with the main theme. This isn't serious or anything, but it's something that sticks out in my mind anyway.  

Offline Bill Aurion

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RE: Tales of Symphonia!
« Reply #21 on: January 19, 2005, 06:01:16 PM »
Tales' story easily crushes CT's by the end...Seriously...
~Former Resident Zelda Aficionado and Nintendo Fan~