Tales of Symphonia was the first real JRPG I ever played, and I loved it so much that I played it a few times before I turned 13. As such, I was excited about the remaster due to my losing GameCube copy to a friend but I was disappointed. This is not the Tales of Symphonia I grew up with, and while it’s not perfect it should still be a good time for newbies.
Again, Tales of Symphonia is a game that sticks high on my favorite games list. I memorized the game at one point, and still played through it again. Symphonia is a fantastic game that offers up a long playtime with fun characters, cool monsters, and a rocking battle theme.
The protagonist, Lloyd Irving is a fantastic hero and a young boy raised by a dwarf and has a best friend who is a half-elf mage named Genis and a childhood lady friend, Collette. His teacher Raine is Genis’ sister and she has him on a short leash, joining the trio on their journey. After Collette becomes the Chosen One as is her destiny they are joined by a few more heroes. There’s the stoic merc Kratos, the ninja Sheena, the flirty warrior Zelos, the Prisoner Regal, and the little girl warrior Presea.
The enemies of the game all have their reasons for doing what they do. The Desians are actually quite an interesting group, and through the story, the heroes and players learn why they do what they do. There are some twists and turn that show maybe not all of them are as bad as they seem. The story of the game revolves around Collette’s journey as the Chosen to save the world and Lloyd, her childhood best friend, pushes his way into joining the journey and becomes the hero he’d always thought he’d become. Lloyd might start out a little childish, but he slowly evolves as he risks life and limb for the people closest to him.
The game on the GameCube took place on two disks which I thought was revolutionary at the time. The game takes place in two different worlds as Sylvarant and Tethe’alla live side by side, and as one flourishes the other declines. As the heroes discover this, they slowly work to fix the issue and it truly is a magnificent journey.
These heroes all have their own reasons for joining in on the journey and through cutscenes and skits, players learn a great deal about them. It’s always worth it to stop and pay attention to these skits, because some never pop up again, and some are hilarious. In Tales games, the player controls one character but can rather effortlessly switch between the other characters and each has a play style though some are rather similar. For instance, Zelos and Kratos are interchangeable as magic swordsmen, Lloyd is a fast sword dual wielder and Raine heals. Sheena’s summons are probably the most different but her regular attacks are quick and deadly.
Battles are frenetic with players working to take down their goes quickly. Unlike other games as the heroes strike at their foes with their melee weapons, they gain MP. It’s pretty cool to have a game work like that because MP is such an important thing for a game and players can use gels to restore mp too but it’s always a nice touch.
There are also unison attacks, in which the four team members all attack. As the heroes fight, the bar slowly rises and when it’s time to attack a quick button press sets up a deadly strike. The player can toggle which attacks the heroes use, and it’s always satisfying to perform a solid unison attack. As players progress they will run through dungeons, completing puzzles and battling monsters and a boss. They will also go back to some dungeons later but by then it won’t be an obstacle.
Battles are often quick and the game rates the player through grade. Doing poorly can result in the player losing grade. Grade might seem arbitrary but it is worth it to gain as much grade as possible because it’s worth more than Gald, the game’s currency. The grade is very important, as it’s something that can start a second playthrough off right. Players can transfer stats, levels, gald, and many other things to another run. While not necessary the rating system is a genius way to change up how one plays the game.
Learning how to be fast and change up the battle style on the fly is necessary to do well. Players can gain more exp just by lengthening combos and doing things precisely. Now, I’m not saying other games should do this, I’m just saying it’s an idea that works, and mastering the combat is a great way to maximize grade returns
The art style of the game is still lovely, though if newer fans are playing then they may not find it as shiny as Tales of Arise. The game world is full of characters and monsters, and interactions that make it feel lived in, and the devastation still hits in the right way and shows that the world has been through tough times. The game also has a running synopsis which is hand, as players can note where they are and where they’ve been, and it’s great to have something like this because sometimes it can be hard for people to play a longer game.
The music of Tales of Symphonia is fantastic and the different towns all have a different vibe and the music still holds to that. The different battle themes are great and showcase the vibe of the two worlds. The voice acting is also great and has aged pretty nicely. It’s humorous to me that Lloyd is voiced by Scott Menville the voice of Robin from Teen Titans, and His voice works and is part of the reason he is so iconic. Everyone else does a great job voicing the other characters too and a good dub can make a game better and in my opinion, this does wonders.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered is still the game everyone knows and loves, but it’s missing some things. Technically it might not be up to snuff but it shouldn’t cause too much problem. Some have said it’s too slow, but it’s all matter of perception. It’s still just as good, it’s just a little older.
I dislike that the screen crack animation for in-game battles doesn’t exist. It would crack blue for regular battles and red if the enemy surprised the player. But still, the game plays like it did on the GameCube for instance, except for the framerate and it’s still wonderful.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered while it might not be perfect is a fantastic game. It tells a wonderful story of a young man out to save the world with new and old friends alike. Will the player help Lloyd and his friends save the day?
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
