Tales of RPG Series - Reggie’s Favorites

[Metal Jesus]

 

The Tales of series of RPG games are incredible popular among JRPG fans & Reggie tells us his favorites starting on the Super Famicom to PS1 to PS2 to PS3 and beyond.

Games Shown:

Tales of Phantasia (SNES / Super Famicom)

Tales of Phantasia (GBA)

Tales of Destiny (PS1)

Tales of Destiny 2 (PS1)

Tales of Legendia (PS2)

Tales of the Abyss (PS2)

Tales of Vesperia (Xbox 360)

Tales of Graces f (PS3)

Tales of Symphonia Chronicles (PS3)

Tales of Xillia (PS3)

Tales of Xillia 2 (PS3)

Tales of Hearts R (Vita)

What are your thoughts on the Tales Of series?

[Tempest]

I haven't played the earlier games yet (Vesperia was my first), but so far I've like them all. I thought Symphonia and DotNW were a bit slow and dragged on too long though.

[Mord]

I enjoyed Symphonia (first one) the most I suppose, although I haven't put a lot of time on any others beyond Tales of the World on the PSP which was kind of a cheap release of a game by recycling entire casts of several earlier series. Still it was fun to play since you could customize your main character. I've got Phantasia on GBA and Vesperia on the 360. After that point I had started in on my decision to avoid games with heavy DLC components, (especially when the DLC consisted of things that use to be unlockable in particular game series) so ... yeah, haven't been touching many Tales titles since.

 

I have the chronicles on the PS3 digitally that I picked up for 10 dollars a while back, but haven't started in on the second half of it yet.

[Gabriel]

This and the Atelier games are the series I've followed with the most dedication but played very little of.

 

I got into the series on the PS1 with Tales of Destiny. I played it for about 20 hours and really enjoyed it, but something distracted me from carrying through with the title. Looking at the release date, I see it came out in late September of 1998. That makes me wonder how I even afforded it, because at that time I was jobless and about to be in classes. Obviously, I somehow picked it up and played it a bit before course work took over. By the time I got school and homework balanced, it looks like student loan money provided me with Front Mission 3 and put an end to returning to Tales of Destiny.

 

I picked up Tales of Destiny II. From the release date, this must have been one of the first games I purchased after I started my professional job. I think all I've ever played of it is a few minutes after the opening, but I even bought the game twice. In addition to my opened copy I still have a sealed copy I bought from K-Mart on clearance.

 

Like Bahamut Lagoon, Tales of Phantasia was one of the games from the SNES which I was very displeased didn't get localized, so when I found it was getting a GBA release, I immediately pre-ordered. I was extremely excited to finally get to play this one. But after I got it in 2006, I never played it. Until a couple of months ago, I had never even opened it. I have a good idea why. I was buying so many games at that point, plus I was starting to have health problems which made my personal energy levels sporadic.

 

Then there were Tales of Legendia, Tales of the Abyss, Tales of Symphonia 1 and 2, and Tales of the World, all games from my BUY EVERYTHING period. The only one I've spent any time playing is Abyss, and even then only two hours or so.

 

After that the series had a lull in instalments and I started to cool down on the mania. Then Tales of Vesperia came out. This is the one I played the most since Destiny. I was very much getting into the characters. I have no idea why I didn't continue this one. It's one that I've always meant to get back to, but I just never do.

 

And then I added Tales of Graces f, Tales of Xillia, and Tales of Symphonia Collection to the hoard. I've managed to resist the urge to acquire Xillia 2.

 

So yeah, 11 games, 3 of which I own two copies of, and I've only played 2 of them to any meaningful degree. Something about the promise of them and the positive impressions of that first game keep me coming back. The familiarity of the Kosuke Fujishima designs probably doesn't hurt either.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Gabriel

[Tempest]

I've managed to resist the urge to acquire Xillia 2.

Xillia 2 was good, but it's really just more of the same from Xillia. If you liked Xillia then Xillia 2 is a good buy, if not then not so much. They're not different games like Symphonia and Dawn of the New World were

[TPA5]

I have Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube, it's pretty enjoyable but I personally find it to be a little on the slow side. Still an excellent JRPG for the GC however.

[cimerians]

I first played it on PS1 with Tales of Destiny, I saw it at my friends house around 98' and I liked it enough that I went out and bought it. I also picked up Tales of Destiny 2 a few years later but that was around the time the PS2 came out so I never got to play it and finish it.

 

I've been a fan ever since and I own almost every game, missing Tales of Hearts R.

[Tempest]

Yeah I've never played Hearts either since I don't have a Vita.

[cybercylon]

I haven't watched the video yet. I follow the Tales series, but don't have the time. Too bad Tales of Vesperia was for the 360 only, but I enjoyed it. Other than that, many of the others are in my to play pile... going back to Tales of the Abyss.