Developer: Namco Tales Studio
Publisher: Namco
Genre: Rpg
Players: 1-4 (Mainly 1 but others can join in for battle's only)
Blocks: 3 per File

Introduction:

This game is made by Namco as you may now. Although this game is part of Namco’s tales series, it's a complete new game. And the first one to be released outside of Japan. Okay Tales of Phantasia on the snes has been translated by a group called Dejap. But that didn't turn out that well. Almost all of the games in this series are know by one thing the battle system. Why? Cause it's different from other rpg's it's real time. Now let's see what Namco has for us in this new tales game

The story:

The main character is Lloyd. He lives just outside of a nice village together with his dad. His friends that live in the village are Collete and Genis. He goes to school with them. Genis has an older sister and too bad for him cause it's also his teacher.

The Desians torture the other races mainly humans. If they stand in the way then they capture them and they take them prison in their ''ranches'' for experiments.

Collete is the chosen one to regenerate the world. Time over time an Orcale arrives that tells that the chosen can start her/his journey. So collete goes to the orcale together with Lloyd and Genis. However when they arrive they get stopped by people that look at first sight very much like Desians.

Lloyd, Collete and Genis try to fight them but they don't stand a chance. Then suddenly a men appears and saves them! The ''Desians'' retreat and it seems they now the men.

That's how the story begins. Later on you find out that there are two worlds. If one world is healthy then the other one is in bad shape. Lloyd and the others want to rescue both the worlds. The Journey that they take includes many dangers but also many new friends. Things might not seem as they appear to be.

Gameplay:

The key elements of this game are: The battle's, travelling on the worldmap, advance-ing further into the story and unsolving puzzle's. This is the balance that will addict you to this game for 60-80 hours long! The battle's are the main key of this game cause on the world there are enemy's and also in the dungeon's. Different from other games is that in this game you can see the enemy's. So you can try to avoid them. And that means no random Battle's!

Like earlier said the battle system is real-time and quick. You only control one party member you can choose who but the most will play as Lloyd. The other party members will be controlled by the computer but a friend can jump in and control an another character. All characters can learn skills but there are two sides: T and S. you can't learn skills from both sides so you have to choose.

The dungeons are all nice the puzzle's also. The sorcerer's ring is a main element into the puzzle's. One time it shoot's fire another time water. It just depends in which dungeon you are.

Sound:

Battle's melody's on tempo, atmosphere village sounds. Games to compare the sound of this game are: The legend of Zelda: The windwaker, Skies of Arcadia: Legends. But better much better. All the important scenes are spoken by real actors. Some say the voices aren't that good and some even say bad. But the voices are really good one of the best I've ever heard in a video game.

Graphics:

The Graphics are cell-shaded. You can compare this game graphics to: The windwaker and Jet Set radio. This style adors many Japaners. Tight lines and fierce colours make the characters on the front line. soft tints the landscape and the background. The characters are realy outstanding in this style compared with other games this is the best! This game has also a sort of pokedex, Wich if you use a certain item it saves the monster into the 'pokedex'. A cool replay value. One bad note tough although everything looks great the worldmap is a bit of a disappointment. It's a little too ugly. Other then that everything is fine.

The ending:

Almost everyone will enjoy this game even if you're not into Rpg's. You will love the chars as you play further. There's enough replay value cause if you come to the end you can buy various options that change the way you're playing. There are a few anime scene's in this game of high quality.

One of the best game's that you can buy on the gamecube!

Score: 95/100


Score: 95/100







This post has been edited by crazyboychris: Jan 15 2006, 09:13 AM

Yeah this is a MUST game for any Anime fan ^^

Yeah 9/10 easy. Very addicted well I found it to be

I have heard it is a fabulous game!!

One good reason to get Game Cube, I think!

You're totaly right. This is one of the games THAT you must HAVE if you own a gamecube ^^ or even buy it for this game ^^

This game has just so many fans!

*nods* I thought it was out for PS2 as well, at first!!! But when I looked for it, I found out it was GC only!*sigh*

Yeah that's here ^^ But in Japan it's also out for the PS2 With a few extra's like; battle moves and title's.

This post has been edited by crazyboychris: Dec 24 2005, 09:09 PM

That's so not fair!!! So many good games never make it to Europe for all the platforms they come out for in Japan!!!!

I know I agree... But on the other hand; Now the Gamecube has at least this game as an exclusive in Europe.... And Sony has all non spin-off final fantasy games... That isn't fair too!

Yup...I agree with that!But it is so wrong of them all to deprive players of the chance to play some good games-FF for Nintendo users, as you said, and Tales of Symphonia and Zelda for Sony users, are but a couple of examples!!

Tales of Symphonia is an excellent game, many unlockables and very fun.

I can relate about Final Fantasy and Tales of Symphonia, but Zelda would never come out on a non Nintendo console as Nintendo owns the Zelda franchise. Final Fantasy used to be for Nintendo, but when making Final Fantasy VII the makers of Final Fantasy and Nintendo had a disagreement. Ninendo refused to switch to CD based games and stuck to the cartiges for the Nintendo 64. Therefore the Final Fantasy games went to Sony.

Yup...I had heard that story about FF! I think that was a big mistake for Nintendo, but a major plus for Sony!

Didn't know about the Zelda franchise, but it does make sense!!!It is a Nintendo-developed game, so they ought to have all rights to it!!

Yeah ^^

But because one mistake that nintendo has make doesn't mean they have to suffer for it always..

I mean they already switched to mini dvd's for the gamecube. So they have learned from their mistake.

Yup...it was about time they gave up on cartridges and moved forward!!!GC is an amazing console! ;)And it has a lot of good games, as well!!!