This is only my second "Tales" game, so I don't have the depth of experience that some reviewers have offered. I try to have as few expectations as possible when I play a new game, so I didn't read many reviews and I didn't watch a lot of videos or play the demo. I just know that I tend to enjoy RPGs (whether action or turn based, etc.) and had an enjoyable time playing Tales of Symphonia a few years ago (whenever that was on NGC).
First my recommendation, then some pros and cons.
I think this is a great game: it's fun, easy to get into (but difficult to master - or so it seems to me), the fighting system is great, and the customization is sufficient to appease the meticulous collector in me. At the current price, it's a steal. I have played through the game more than once now, and I enjoy it every time. Even supposing you only played the game once, you would still get more than enough fun for your investment.
Pros:
+ Beautiful graphics. If you like the cel shaded, right out of an anime look, this should please your eyes.
+ Fight system is intuitive (with a bit of a learning curve) and highly customizable. The A.I. can take some time to get total control over, but with a little effort it responds well. FInally, being able to control any of the characters in your party fills the combat with variety and a ton of replay value.
+ Customization. It's not as deep as some other options on the market, but the variety of weapons, costumes, and gear is enough to pique the interest of the collector in me.
+ Scale. This isn't a massive game, but there is more than enough to explore and the main story is long enough that you won't feel like the game is gone in a rush.
+ Characters. Some reviewers seem to be really bothered by this aspect of the game. I don't think the characters are "cookie-cutter" or one dimensional - at least, not enough for this to detract from the game. Yuri is a great character, and the rest are average at worst. Sure, there are some JRPGs in recent memory with better characters, but not by a mile - and these are so far from the worst characters that it hardly seems right to downgrade the game for it.
Cons (and why they aren't fatal):
- Story. Sure it isn't the most original story, but once you've been playing RPGs/JRPGs for 10-15 years there isn't much left that's original. The writing is a little campy at times, but there are more than enough good moments to keep things interesting.
- The learning curve on the fight system and the (early) difficulty. I don't think an honest review can deny that an initial learning curve is present, but it's nothing insurmountable. And once you've gotten the combat system under control, the fun, variety, and experience of the game really take off. Also, the initial difficulty isn't terrible and really serves to keep things interesting - and to keep you switching up your party. If the game never presented an obstacle for team X, then that would be serious complaint against the game. As it is, some character excel early and some excel late - Yuri being exceptional in that he is viable throughout.
- Soundtrack (Not BGM). Some of the music is pretty bad for my taste. It's not the worst around, but after my first play through I found myself putting on my own music.
Overall, Tales of Vesperia is a great game (4.5). If you like the genre, then you should definitely check it out. If you have more broad taste concerning RPGs, there is a lot to like here - but you might also be annoyed by certain aspects of the game (perhaps, try the demo first). At the current price, if you're remotely interested it's worth checking out.
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Customer Questions & Answers
Customer reviews
Top reviews from other countries
Matthew M.
Overall solid JRPG with frustrating quirks
Reviewed in Canada on June 21, 2016Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
Ian L
This is a very good game
Reviewed in Canada on November 24, 2013Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
red1blue2
Got lots of time to waste?
Reviewed in Canada on November 9, 2013Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
CID
Tales at its best!
Reviewed in Canada on October 14, 2016Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
H.
Great game! One of the best RPG
Reviewed in Canada on November 29, 2016Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
