Tales of Symphonia

Tales of Symphonia is a breath of fresh air for RPG-starved Gamecube owners. Not fresh in the sense of being a completely original game, indeed it unashamedly borrows from other RPGs, but fresh in that it is an epic adventure of grand proportions in a well executed and lovingly detailed environment.

Overall, Tales of Symphonia is the best RPG I’ve played all summer. I love that I’m loving an RPG on the GameCube. Now, to wrap this up. What to say. What to say. I really just wanna get back to playing the game, so I’m gonna make this short. Ok. Ummmm. Screw it.

Of course, after all that, I wouldn’t refuse the chance to interview anyone associated with the game. Despite my nit-picky complaints about many aspects of the game, this is an incredibly solid role-playing game that has deservedly earned it reputation as a must-own game for any role-playing fan or Gamecube owner. It might not be able to take a place among the truly great games of the genre, with its problems in tying up plot threads, but it will deservedly get plenty of play for a long time, and it will be remembered for several things. It will be rightly hailed as the game that finally got Namco the attention it deserved for its role-playing games. It will be remembered as proof that Nintendo could have solid role-playing games on its systems again. And, perhaps, it will be proof that a game can even transcend prejudices people bring about its voice actors.

En ce qui concerne l’intérêt général de ce Tales of Symphonia sur GameCube, je dirais qu’il s’agit d’un RPG très accrocheur qui dispose d’un système de combats intéressant. Là où Square avait échoué avec un Kingdom Hearts injouable, Namco réussit en proposant une aventure jamais ennuyeuse et une ambiance magique parsemée d’épreuves qui ne m’avaient jamais autant amusé depuis Suikoden 2. Le jeu est également un peu plus mature que les précédents volets, malgré les apparences enfantines. En un mot : je suis fan, comme dirait un certain chanteur.

Premier épisode de la série des "Tales" à voir le jour en Europe, Tales of Symphonia est un RPG à ne manquer sous aucun prétexte. Son esthétique très manga le rend immédiatement sympathique, et son système de jeu en fait un titre extrêmement agréable à jouer. La soixantaine d'heures que vous passerez dessus vous paraîtra d'autant plus courte que l'aventure est riche et les événements nombreux. Nul doute que ce titre laissera son empreinte dans le coeur de tout amateur de RPG.

Tales of Symphonia is the latest incarnation of this popular series, and while it certainly shares some heritage with its predecessors in terms of graphical style and game mechanics, it's not necessary for you to have played any of the previous games, as it is set in a different world and features entirely new characters, in much the same way that Final Fantasy reinvents itself with (almost) every new game.

Great story? Check. Cool characters? Check. Nifty-looking spells and unique graphics? Check. Nicely tuned challenge? Check. Big, game-altering twist in the middle? Check. Yup, Tales of Symphonia?s just about got it all. The only quirk that prevents this RPG from entering the hallowed halls of RPG heaven is its battle system?some folks are gonna find it hard to take.

Wer Rollenspiele mag, wird von Tales of Symphonia sofort gefangen genommen. Die fesselnde Geschichte, das geniale Kampfsystem und vor allem der gigantische Umfang fesseln für Wochen an den Controller. Die Anime-Charaktere mit ihren großen Köpfen und Kulleraugen sowie das fantastisch aussehende Anime-Intro können den japanischen Ursprung jedoch nicht verbergen. Hier merkt man, dass ein Anime-Fachmann wie Kosuke Fujishima am Werk war. Was mich aber weniger begeistert hat, ist die nicht durchweg hübsche Grafik. Gerade die Oberwelt sieht sehr karg und somit eher zum Wegschauen aus. Da kann der GameCube deutlich mehr, wie vor einem Monat bereits Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles bewies. Auch der Sound mit seinen atmosphärischen Melodien weiß zu gefallen, wenn auch die Soundeffekte besser sein könnten. Nichtsdestotrotz ist Tales of Symphonia ein fantastisches Rollenspiel.

Namco's Tales series of role-playing games have always carried something of a cult status outside of their native Japan. In a console genre that many people define in Final Fantasy parameters, the Tales games have been quiet understudies that haven't garnered much attention. Enter Tales of Symphonia, the latest game in the series and the first to appear on the RPG-starved GameCube. Happily, the game is more than just a pretty face--it is a welcome entry into a console's needy genre; it's an entertaining game with a pretty standard story line, but it also has terrific gameplay and a lot of appeal.

Namco's Tales series of role-playing games have always carried something of a cult status outside of their native Japan. In a console genre that many people define in Final Fantasy parameters, the Tales games have been quiet understudies that haven't garnered much attention. Enter Tales of Symphonia, the latest game in the series and the first to appear on the RPG-starved GameCube. Happily, the game is more than just a pretty face--it is a welcome entry into a console's needy genre; it's an entertaining game with a pretty standard story line, but it also has terrific gameplay and a lot of appeal.

In the fairy tales, there’s always that moment when the heroine steps into the ballroom, gussied up from head to toe, and immediately makes all of the other belles look like pug-fugly consignment store debutantes by comparison. This is the effect that Tales of Symphonia has on nearly every other GameCube RPG on the market, making them look underdressed and hopelessly outclassed.

All told, Tales of Symphonia should more than fill the aching void that exists for starving GameCube RPG fans.

The weapon upgrade feature is great. Instead of scrapping old weapons or selling them to shops for financial gain, Tales of Symphonia lets you combine them with specific items to create powerful weapons. You have to go to a weapon upgrade shop in order to do this, but there are many in the game, so finding one isn't a problem. It's not easy to acquire the necessary items though. Pay close attention to the list of required items and be on the lookout for them.

The GameCube has been without a solid, original RPG for far too long. Some will cry out for Skies of Arcadia Legends love -- but as good as it is, it's really nothing more than a director's cut. Others will demand recognition for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles -- but it's not really a RPG. This leaves us with nothing until Namco steps up to the plate with two RPGs later this summer -- both exclusive to the GameCube. The first is Tales of Symphonia.

The GameCube has been without a solid, original RPG for far too long. Some will cry out for Skies of Arcadia Legends love -- but as good as it is, it's really nothing more than a director's cut. Others will demand recognition for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles -- but it's not really a RPG. This leaves us with nothing until Namco steps up to the plate with two RPGs later this summer -- both exclusive to the GameCube. The first is Tales of Symphonia.

Tales of Symphonia is an RPG that just doesn’t want to quit. The game spans two discs and claims over 80 hours of gameplay, and I’m not about to argue. Of course, the exact number of hours you spend depends on your style of play, but without a doubt, Symphonia is a game that goes the distance.

Tales of Symphonia is a role-playing game you're meant to play. This is good for all involved, because gamers need something from this genre besides pretty pictures now and again, and the game itself needs something to carry an otherwise middling package. Symphonia isn't any great shakes as a narrative, and its graphics may inspire more hate than love, but it's fun to play, and that's the important part.

From the outset, Namco makes no secret that Tales of Symphonia is not intended to be a new addition to the RPG "Hall of Fame". With a story revolving around the world currently being held under the iron fist of an other-worldly Nazism, one chosen hero (creatively named, The Chosen) will rise up and save the world from peril. The story isn’t special; lacking any memorable plot twists or climax. As you progress through the game, things go from better to worse; clinging to every typical cliché, and overused, uninspired plotlines with bravado.

But in the end, being that this is an RPG and not just another game, the must-have areas are severely lacking in quality, and force the game down a notch, leaving it a good game that could have been great.