Tales of Symphonia

Started by 100marios May 8th, 2004 7:26 PM
  • 10213 views
  • 375 replies

100marios

Reigning Dork Champion of PC

Age 33
*booming voice* What authority dost though have to ask this of me?
Seen September 18th, 2017
Posted October 23rd, 2008
5,341 posts
19.7 Years
I'm curious.....is anyone else interested in this game?
I saw a bit of it, and it looks really cool!
I'm really excited for it! It's almost like an anime and a game in one...
Actually, that's pretty much what it is hehe...
Dec. 2003:
Don't be afraid to make fun of me...*gives glare* I can take it!
...And I still can!

Signature under construction. Or I might just be saying this because I have no idea how to make one. Let your imagination guide you!... Please? *smiles* ;p

100marios

Reigning Dork Champion of PC

Age 33
*booming voice* What authority dost though have to ask this of me?
Seen September 18th, 2017
Posted October 23rd, 2008
5,341 posts
19.7 Years
I saw that in Nintendo Power! I really want it. It looks deep, great art style and characters, and its on the GCN! ^_^ Just about two months to wait though. ;_;
Me too! I subscribe to it, so I got it a while ago. The battle system looks really fun, and I suppose it is deep, considering it takes two discs hehe...
It's supposed to be an 80 hour quest.....and that's only the main one!
At least I can play it all summer in two months hehe...
Dec. 2003:
Don't be afraid to make fun of me...*gives glare* I can take it!
...And I still can!

Signature under construction. Or I might just be saying this because I have no idea how to make one. Let your imagination guide you!... Please? *smiles* ;p

100marios

Reigning Dork Champion of PC

Age 33
*booming voice* What authority dost though have to ask this of me?
Seen September 18th, 2017
Posted October 23rd, 2008
5,341 posts
19.7 Years
Yeah, I dont know much about the game but it looks pretty awsome, so I resreved it. If you know where to get some info on it please inform me.
You reserved it?
I should think about doing that too!

Well, here's a site, if you haven't seen it already.

http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/rpg/talesofphantasia/index.html

You'll have to make an account if you want to see the movies, but it's free, so there's really no problem.

Oh! Lt. Suge!
Can I join you?
Hehe..
*jumps up and down too*

If you guys want to know just how much I'm looking forward to this game, I'm just as excited for it as Paper Mario 2. And, seeing as how I'm a pretty good Mario fan, that's saying a lot hehe...
I haven't been this excited for a game for a long time now!
Dec. 2003:
Don't be afraid to make fun of me...*gives glare* I can take it!
...And I still can!

Signature under construction. Or I might just be saying this because I have no idea how to make one. Let your imagination guide you!... Please? *smiles* ;p

Kairi

The Original $staff_title

Female
Seen February 3rd, 2021
Posted February 1st, 2016
10,285 posts
19.7 Years
I know! I think itll be on the best RPGs for the GCN. I liked reading about all the equipment and abilities in that issue of NP. Thats like the first game I actually hear about first in it. o.O;

Its interesting how you fight determines the points you receive the buy stuff, and those EX Gems. They sound kind of like accessories, only maybe deeper? Since you can combine them and so on. You also actually get better at what you practice, I.E. if you use healing a lot, you learn more powerful healing sooner. I like the customizing of characters and stuff. ^_^ The real time should feel pretty interesting too! The anim cutscenes are very pretty too @[email protected]

100marios

Reigning Dork Champion of PC

Age 33
*booming voice* What authority dost though have to ask this of me?
Seen September 18th, 2017
Posted October 23rd, 2008
5,341 posts
19.7 Years
Yup, I agree with all that hehe...

From what I read, the EX Gems are supposed to be customizable skills of some sort, that each of the character can have 4 of. I'm really excited about the multi player also. Single player mode seems fun enough by itself, but with others, it's a lot like FF:CC with an actual story! Wow! Hehe..
You can also combine attacks with other members of your party, creating superpowerful 'unison attacks' (Which I'm sure you heard of hehe).

Seeing as how you can switch between which chaacter you want to use in battle, which one do you want to use the most?
Lloyd Irving reminds me a lot of myself, so I really want to play as him. Not to mention he wields two katana blades hehe...
Dec. 2003:
Don't be afraid to make fun of me...*gives glare* I can take it!
...And I still can!

Signature under construction. Or I might just be saying this because I have no idea how to make one. Let your imagination guide you!... Please? *smiles* ;p

Scyther5

One DEAD GUTTED Shiny Hunter

Age 32
Seen December 18th, 2011
Posted October 23rd, 2010
1,300 posts
19.5 Years
Well, 5 hours after I get the game I pop it in to realize its a peice of crap!




Just Kidding XD
This Game rocks, it looks like it will be a classic, plus its two disks long..with over 80 hours of playability.

PS- Kratos, and Presea and Regal rock! Although I've only used Kratos so far XD
The Grizzled Vet

TRIFORCE89

Guide of Darkness

Age 33
Male
Temple of Light
Seen November 25th, 2017
Posted October 21st, 2016
8,122 posts
19.1 Years
I'll be getting this game eventually. I really want it. But I have some other games I wish to finish off first. It's odd that I even want this game; I don't usually find anime-ish RPGs appealing.
the official site is: http://tales.namco.com i think. :)

i bought the game a couple days ago. my favorite characters are sheena and kratos. the music isn't too bad either, and i love the battle system, makes it more intresting that selecting attacks and waiting for the enemies turn. real-time action! i suggest getting this game if you own a gamecube, since it is as worth it as the newest zelda game coming out in the future (ok...maybe not, but close).

i love tales of symphonia!!! *runs back to play more* this may be a big spoiler...highlight below

i'm stuck at the tower of salvation and kratos keeps on whooping me up. yes...kratos turns crazy and evil. he was my favorite character, this is saddening.

Lokhlan

Formerly "Tendo"

Age 36
Male
Bossier City, Louisiana
Seen July 27th, 2018
Posted January 5th, 2014
1,818 posts
19.5 Years
I just bought the crappy game Custom Robo without consulting my Nintendo Power & Game Informer magazines first... Now TOS looks like it'll be what I buy with the money I get from selling Custom Robo at GameStop. I'm kinda looking forward to buying this game.

So, I'm assuming by all the good comments you guys are giving TOS that it is worth buying?


Friend Safari is Normal Type 5455-9491-0290
Aipmon, Audino, Smeargle
Ahh, Im enjoying it. I kinda find battle a wee bit clumsy, but it feels pretty fun to go through another RPG, and a lot to learn about it. Plus it has a New game+ feature, gotta love that.
Most of the Squaresoft games have that New Game + thingy as well. :) If any one of you remember Chrono Cross or Chrono Trigger.

Oh, I'm past the Tower of Salvation now and into (?)Tela Altha(?). If anyone needs help on the game, feel free to post here or PM me.

The game has a lot of not-so-good words in it...that's one thing I like about it. I also heard a PS2 version of Tales of Symphonia (Maybe a different adventure) will be released in the near future.
Age 34
Michigan
Seen March 9th, 2009
Posted February 23rd, 2009
83 posts
18.9 Years
I bought TOS the day it came out, and I've played it for nearly 25 hours, and I'm STILL not on disc 2. I love the game a lot, I thought I was done with the game at first...but they throw something new at me, and I love it. I'm amazed that I'm still not at Disc 2 yet, but that only gets me more excited!

Tales of Symphonia is one of the best RPGs I've ever played.

If ya need help, you can PM me too, unless you are farther then me...

[spoiler=I am currently at...SPOILERS] The Ice Temple in Tatha\'halla, going to make a pact with Celsius ^^ Go me.[/spoiler]
Rokkenjima
Seen June 16th, 2013
Posted July 10th, 2012
1,849 posts
19.6 Years
Yeah. Going up to kick the sylphs' butts but got turned over instead (can't even take 1!!!!! down. ARGH!). (btw, for ppl who don't know what I'm talking about, well you'll find out sooner or later lol) O, I made a review for it for when I was still quite early in the game (well I am right now).

SPOILERS




Yo, Kratos in the end joins you if you want...and kick Zelos off the darn party.






END OF SPOILERS

btw, I've got a review without spoilers hehehe:

Tales of Symphonia is the newest installment of the Tales series by Namco. It is only for the Nintendo Gamecube and houses 2 discs within the package. The amount of memory required to save is 3 blocks. Really, that's all the general stuff you need to know.

Graphics

Well this is an ambitious title in terms of graphics. This cel-shade has never been done before, as this cell shade is far too complicated compared to soemthing like Zelda: WW. Anyway, the actual 3D graphics have this cel-shading that makes it look like anime. I mean, you do feel like you're playing in an anime with these cel-shaded characters. The backgrounds are neutral as usual (without cel-shading) and usually are very nice. Also, the special effects don't lack at all. In fact, it's at least on par with Final Fantasy x-2, if not better.

Cinematics in this game are impressive, as all of it comes in the form of anime. The opening sequence was absolutely gorgeous (Kosuke Fujishima is a genius!!!). However, there is a lack of these cinematics in the first 8 hours of play (beaten 4 bosses total and can go fight at least 3 more in any order I want...and not a SINGLE cinematic) was rather disappointing. All in all, the graphics, although ambitious, worked out nicely. Kudos!

9/10

Battle System

The meat and potatoes of the game, as they always say. And I'll get right down to it. The main battle system is similar to that of Star Ocean series (and the Tales series for that matter. lol). Basically, you walk around in an area and monsters will be about (either as shadows or in the shape of something you can recognize as a monster). You can run away from them or run straight into them to fight. Also, the monsters may walk around, run away, or even run toward you to attack you (they say it's depending on your level, but I'm saying they just do this stuff randomly).

Once you hit the battle screen, you control one of your party members (you chose already outsdie of battle) and you can run up to your opponents to attack them via the A button (you can combine this with directional buttons too), attack them with techniques via the B button (also you can use directional pads with the button to do different moves that you've set during or before the battle), or use the X button to guard attacks (damage dealt to you reduces, also you do not flinch after being hit). You can also use forward and backward on the joystick to move toward or away from a certain enemy (Up to jump and down to duck). To select the enemy you wish to destroy, you hold R and then move the target left and right until you pick the correct one. If not, the computer picks the closest enemy. Anyway, techniques cost tech points (TP), which you gain via winning battles or hitting your opponent with you basic weapon, and they usually are stronger or has more range than your regular attack (think of them as magic).

At a later point in the game, unison attacks wil become available. This allows you to chain MASSIVE combos using techniques (Doesn't consume tech points! just comsumes the unison attack meter! You build that up also by attacking the enemy or enemies). The workings of this will be explained to you and is a pleasant addition to the game. Also, you may also find different combinations that allow you to add even more than just 4 techniques into the attack, causing even MORE devestating damage (my record is 2335 damage with unison alone...8 hours into a game...). I find myself intrigued by this system and I think I will continue to experiment with it until I find the best damage possible.

8/10

Character mods

Well mods for each character comes in many ways. The first is the standard equipment stuff, where you can equip items that you got or bought. Characters are usually limited to what they can use in the beginning of the game (i.e. a sword user can only use swords), so the customization isn't really there. However, if you can start taking innocent items, add some stuff that you get from defeating monsters, and customize them, that would be cool. Wait, weapon customization is in the game! YAY (it's limited tho...)!

the second form of customization comes from good ol' EX gems. Basically, you get these gems and you can equip them to characters. This allows them to gain either new skills or better stats or other things. There are 4 levels of gems and they get increasingly stronger as the level goes up. However, once you equip an EX gem on a character, it stays on the character (and it can only be replaced). All characters start with at least 1 EX gem (usually at level 1 too), and you can start customizing right away. EX gems also have another specialty. When you have the right combination of EX gems, your character then can learn a compound ability along with the usual stat upgrade/other upgrades that the EX gem would normally give. The compound abilities also vary from character to character, just like the EX gems themselves. The problem with the gems: they are very rare and if you want ot buy them, they cost ridiculous amounts of a different form of currency (the game has 2 types of currency. The second takes a LOT of time to gain, and you may even LOSE them during battle...darn grade). Usually a battle you gain 1 or 2 grade (and it doesn't change at the end of the game either, unlike the other currency)...a level 4 EX gem costs 200 grade! Anyway, EX gems also help determine whether a character is "strike" type or "technique" type, which allow the character to learn different moves as they level up (strike I think is more of the brute force type, dealing single hits of damage, whereas techniques tend to spread the same amount of damage in different combos instead). All in all, not a very good system here, but it's okay.

The final customization coems from character titles. These can be accessed through the status screen. Everyone starts with a certain title and they gain different titles when certain conditions are met (e.g. Llyod gains a title for doing combos). These also allow you to choose how a character will grow in the long run (although you can only see gray/red/green to see whether a title is better than another or something). Either way, it's a nice addition to the game and can really help you customize. Besides, minigames tends to go along with titles *hint*. lol

8/10

Cooking

funny how cooking's part of the game. But it is. it's just like what it says, you cook by putting in the right ingredients. Then you either succeed or fail at it. You can get recipes from the cooking guy hidden throughout the game to help you out. Also, characters have a tendency to cook better as they cook more, and this game reflects that with a star-rating system. The more you cook, the more likely you will succeed and the more likely the cooking will do much better. I like how you can also add extra ingredients in addition to the original ingredients to make whatever cooking more powerful/rewarding.

7/10

Music

Nothing to say but to whoever made the soundtrack should be given a raise. WAIT! THE GUY DID ALL THE TALES AND STAR OCEAN MUSIC! NO WONDER! lol

10/10

Sound (includes voice acting)

It's pretty good. Throw in the random stereotypical sounds of monsters and stuff, you know...generic.

Voice acting on the other hand (at this point) is excellent. Aside from the voice of Colette (I can't imagine a voice like that on a girl like that for some reason. But they have reason to believe that Colette has that type of voice), I think the voice acting suits the characters well. Yay!

8/10

Plot (tentative. also, this contains spoilers if you think the first HOUR counts as spoilers.)

Baiscally, the world is on the brink of destruction and the Chosen (Colette) must set out on a journey to revive the mana goddess and therefore save the world from destruction. However, everyone doubts this as the LAST Chosen died before completing this mission.

So then Colette has to set out to open these seals to the Tower of Salvation, where she can climb to the heavens to revive the Mana Goddess Martel.

Now throw in our other main character, Lloyd. He is a long-time friend of Colette and is also determined to aid her in every way possible. After he was exiled from his hometown, he also sets out with his bestfriend Genis to aid Colette in her quest. We also throw in Genis' sister (Raine) and a Mercenary (Kratos) for good measure.

Now the plot itself is easily predictable, but it is still more character driven compared to most of the other series, where it is events driven. In that way, even if it's going to be a love story (PREDICTION! MIGHT NOT BE TRUE) like all the other RPG games in the world, it is good.

7/10
Rokkenjima
Seen June 16th, 2013
Posted July 10th, 2012
1,849 posts
19.6 Years
Tales of Symphonia is the newest installment of the Tales series by Namco. It is only for the Nintendo Gamecube and houses 2 discs within the package. The amount of memory required to save is 3 blocks. Really, that's all the general stuff you need to know.

Graphics

Well this is an ambitious title in terms of graphics. This cel-shade has never been done before, as this cell shade is far too complicated compared to soemthing like Zelda: WW. Anyway, the actual 3D graphics have this cel-shading that makes it look like anime. I mean, you do feel like you're playing in an anime with these cel-shaded characters. The backgrounds are neutral as usual (without cel-shading) and usually are very nice. Also, the special effects don't lack at all. In fact, it's at least on par with Final Fantasy x-2, if not better.

Cinematics in this game are impressive, as all of it comes in the form of anime. The opening sequence was absolutely gorgeous (Kosuke Fujishima is a genius!!!). However, there is a lack of these cinematics in the first 8 hours of play (beaten 4 bosses total and can go fight at least 3 more in any order I want...and not a SINGLE cinematic) was rather disappointing. All in all, the graphics, although ambitious, worked out nicely. Kudos!

9/10

Battle System

The meat and potatoes of the game, as they always say. And I'll get right down to it. The main battle system is similar to that of Star Ocean series (and the Tales series for that matter. lol). Basically, you walk around in an area and monsters will be about (either as shadows or in the shape of something you can recognize as a monster). You can run away from them or run straight into them to fight. Also, the monsters may walk around, run away, or even run toward you to attack you (they say it's depending on your level, but I'm saying they just do this stuff randomly).

Once you hit the battle screen, you control one of your party members (you chose already outsdie of battle) and you can run up to your opponents to attack them via the A button (you can combine this with directional buttons too), attack them with techniques via the B button (also you can use directional pads with the button to do different moves that you've set during or before the battle), or use the X button to guard attacks (damage dealt to you reduces, also you do not flinch after being hit). You can also use forward and backward on the joystick to move toward or away from a certain enemy (Up to jump and down to duck). To select the enemy you wish to destroy, you hold R and then move the target left and right until you pick the correct one. If not, the computer picks the closest enemy. Anyway, techniques cost tech points (TP), which you gain via winning battles or hitting your opponent with you basic weapon, and they usually are stronger or has more range than your regular attack (think of them as magic).

At a later point in the game, unison attacks wil become available. This allows you to chain MASSIVE combos using techniques (Doesn't consume tech points! just comsumes the unison attack meter! You build that up also by attacking the enemy or enemies). The workings of this will be explained to you and is a pleasant addition to the game. Also, you may also find different combinations that allow you to add even more than just 4 techniques into the attack, causing even MORE devestating damage (my record is 2335 damage with unison alone...8 hours into a game...). I find myself intrigued by this system and I think I will continue to experiment with it until I find the best damage possible.

8/10

Character mods

Well mods for each character comes in many ways. The first is the standard equipment stuff, where you can equip items that you got or bought. Characters are usually limited to what they can use in the beginning of the game (i.e. a sword user can only use swords), so the customization isn't really there. However, if you can start taking innocent items, add some stuff that you get from defeating monsters, and customize them, that would be cool. Wait, weapon customization is in the game! YAY (it's limited tho...)!

the second form of customization comes from good ol' EX gems. Basically, you get these gems and you can equip them to characters. This allows them to gain either new skills or better stats or other things. There are 4 levels of gems and they get increasingly stronger as the level goes up. However, once you equip an EX gem on a character, it stays on the character (and it can only be replaced). All characters start with at least 1 EX gem (usually at level 1 too), and you can start customizing right away. EX gems also have another specialty. When you have the right combination of EX gems, your character then can learn a compound ability along with the usual stat upgrade/other upgrades that the EX gem would normally give. The compound abilities also vary from character to character, just like the EX gems themselves. The problem with the gems: they are very rare and if you want ot buy them, they cost ridiculous amounts of a different form of currency (the game has 2 types of currency. The second takes a LOT of time to gain, and you may even LOSE them during battle...darn grade). Usually a battle you gain 1 or 2 grade (and it doesn't change at the end of the game either, unlike the other currency)...a level 4 EX gem costs 200 grade! Anyway, EX gems also help determine whether a character is "strike" type or "technique" type, which allow the character to learn different moves as they level up (strike I think is more of the brute force type, dealing single hits of damage, whereas techniques tend to spread the same amount of damage in different combos instead). All in all, not a very good system here, but it's okay.

The final customization coems from character titles. These can be accessed through the status screen. Everyone starts with a certain title and they gain different titles when certain conditions are met (e.g. Llyod gains a title for doing combos). These also allow you to choose how a character will grow in the long run (although you can only see gray/red/green to see whether a title is better than another or something). Either way, it's a nice addition to the game and can really help you customize. Besides, minigames tends to go along with titles *hint*. lol

8/10

Cooking

funny how cooking's part of the game. But it is. it's just like what it says, you cook by putting in the right ingredients. Then you either succeed or fail at it. You can get recipes from the cooking guy hidden throughout the game to help you out. Also, characters have a tendency to cook better as they cook more, and this game reflects that with a star-rating system. The more you cook, the more likely you will succeed and the more likely the cooking will do much better. I like how you can also add extra ingredients in addition to the original ingredients to make whatever cooking more powerful/rewarding.

7/10

Music

Nothing to say but to whoever made the soundtrack should be given a raise. WAIT! THE GUY DID ALL THE TALES AND STAR OCEAN MUSIC! NO WONDER! lol

10/10

Sound (includes voice acting)

It's pretty good. Throw in the random stereotypical sounds of monsters and stuff, you know...generic.

Voice acting on the other hand (at this point) is excellent. Aside from the voice of Colette (I can't imagine a voice like that on a girl like that for some reason. But they have reason to believe that Colette has that type of voice), I think the voice acting suits the characters well. Yay!

8/10

Plot (tentative. also, this contains spoilers if you think the first HOUR counts as spoilers.)

Baiscally, the world is on the brink of destruction and the Chosen (Colette) must set out on a journey to revive the mana goddess and therefore save the world from destruction. However, everyone doubts this as the LAST Chosen died before completing this mission.

So then Colette has to set out to open these seals to the Tower of Salvation, where she can climb to the heavens to revive the Mana Goddess Martel.

Now throw in our other main character, Lloyd. He is a long-time friend of Colette and is also determined to aid her in every way possible. After he was exiled from his hometown, he also sets out with his bestfriend Genis to aid Colette in her quest. We also throw in Genis' sister (Raine) and a Mercenary (Kratos) for good measure.

Now the plot itself is easily predictable, but it is still more character driven compared to most of the other series, where it is events driven. In that way, even if it's going to be a love story like all the other RPG games in the world, it is good.

7/10

Length

Really, they say it's over 80 hours of gameplay. but when Nintendo Power says this and that you get unison attacks 10 hours into the game (and I got unison attacks 4 hours into the game...), well it's not going to be that long unless I go train like a maniac (which I am actually. HA! And I'm still ahead of their schedule!). I find the training much more entertaining and it's worth a shot!

7/10

Extras/Goodies

If you didn't pre-order the game (I didn't either), you don't get the artbook (I want!!!!) and the poster (I WANT!!!!). Also, I don't recall any extras that come with the game itself (like the other games). Oh well.

In terms of the in-game extras. There are many things to go the second time through. You can go take a different path to end up in the same place or take the same path to different places. It's the non-linear style of this game that's intriguing to me and I think I'll at least play it through twice (along with the cool secret shop the you can get only after beating the game once). So not much goodies here either...sigh.

4/10

Overall

What do you think? I mean, I think i've said enough to convince or disconvince you. Basically it coems down to this: you like RPGs? If no, then don't go get it. If yes, ask yourself if you can live with the battle system. if you can, get it. If you can't, don't get it. All in all, go to like EB games or something and try out the battle system! But from what I know, the battle system is a okay.

Overall scoring: 8/10

parallelzero

chelia.blendy

Age 32
The capital of Canada (not Toronto)
Seen May 11th, 2015
Posted May 20th, 2013
14,627 posts
19.3 Years
Hmm, favourite character...
Actually, I have 2, Lloyd & Colette, they look so cute together!
Has anyone got any tips on defeating Magnius?

SKY GOD SLAYER: CHELIA BLENDY
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