Hi guys

New to the series. My copy just arrived and so it begins. Not sure how much of a vocal community there is for the Tales games but I hope you don't mind a noob asking a few Q's.

I've found a chest - are chest contents RNG or preset?

When you equip gear, does it ever affect your appearance? I've got a cape but it doesn't affect appearance apparently.

Cheers

Chests are preset, and equipment will not change your appearance. But there is costume equipment. If you are on the equipment screen go all the way down, and then once more. The screen will change and you will see new slots for the atheistic equipment you will find through out the game. This will have no bearing on stats, but will change how you look. By adding something to your appearance. You will also eventually unlock full costumes which will be a whole new set of clothes.

Ah OK thanks. Maybe the chests thing is good, will stifle any attempts to grind chest loot.

Combat system is great fun. Does the game offer opportunity to grind (i.e mobs will respawn) or is levelling quite fixed to quest progression?

Areas re-spawn by leaving and re-entering the area. As the game goes on, you will find yourself needing to grind quite a bit. Unless you are playing on easy, or buy the dlc to boost levels. I've yet to play a Tales game where I didn't have to grind a considerable amount in the mid to later stages.

The only bad thing about Xillia is that the armor does not change because the art of these armors are absolute fantastic^^

@darji: Yes, but that's what preset costumes are for. Would prefer those over looking like a hobo trying to save the world. Although I beat the first boss and I've still yet to find how to change my costumes to the LE ones.

I really want to play more of this game but sadly trying to finish up everything in Neptunia Victory first. Really hate that actual standard JRPGs have gotten to be so rare that I'm relying on the Tales series for that itch. I mean if people would just buy more Kiseki games so we can get 6 that are unreleased. :(

Ah well, long live the ARPG.

They're items in your inventory that you have to use, and then you go to equipment and under all the normal stuff should be costume items.

@dystopiax: I see, thanks for that. Really like the Cress outfit, as Phantasia is the only Tales game that I have throughly enjoyed to death. That PSP Full Voice Edition they released was absolutely great. Although slightly disappointed they gave Milla a male character costume, but oh well, I don't even remember the female characters from Destiny to be honest. I just remember talking sword.

What? I've never had to grind in these games and I play them on hard by default. A few bosses might take an extra few attempts or an All-Divide when the time comes, but I've never felt like the numbers made it impossible to win.

That's interesting: after reading reviews I was primed for a grind.

To beat the story, well then no you wont need to grind. I probably should have thought about that first. I tend to 100% tales games. I always have. One of the few games that I actually enjoy enough to doing so. And in order to do that, you will have to grind, especially on Hard. Some times I assume everyone plays games like myself. There is never a need to grind more than maybe a few levels on the first run through of the story. To get an art or something you know is coming before a big boss fight. Other than that, a normal play through would require much.

I tend to just grind however, knowing I will be playing through all the extra content and on ng+. But for this game, its kinda seeming pointless compared to past ones. My grade is way too high already, so I am assuming the ng+ perks are probably going to make the game not as hard as past games.

The only thing you'd really need to grind for at all (even on hard) is a few subquests featuring some difficult monsters. For the story and most of the other optional content, you can get through most of it without any big issues as long as you fight things whenever you're on the way somewhere. As long as you don't avoid any enemies and just kill everything you come across on your way through the story, you won't need to go looking for fights either. Also, always have food eaten for +EXP or +EXP & +Gald. Even the food that only gives +15% exp will have you leveling a lot faster, and the more you level up the food shop the better stuff you get (up to +100％ both exp and gald in one dish, or separate). And for bosses, if you die the first time around, eat something that raises your p.def and a.def when retry takes you back to your menu and you're usually good to go.

Plus you get titles for eating anyway, and it's bonus exp and money so there's no downside.

@tallonkarrde23: that's tremendous advice thanks very much.

I'm playing on the difficult one step before hard - is there a way to switch to hard mode mid-game? Its a little easy at the moment and I'm not a particularly good gamer so I suspect it may be an easy game if not played on hard.

Really enjoying it so far anyway - I'm sure the fun of the combat will diminish over time but right now I'm charging into battle for love of the combat.

You can always change difficulty in the system -> options menu in the triangle menu. If you lose to a boss and do "retry", you can also change it then as well when it returns you to the menu pre-fight. Keep in mind "retry" is only applicable with bosses - if you die to a normal enemy you have to load a save or quicksave (so if you're going to all die outside of a boss fight, make sure to run).

You don't lose anything by doing this - you just have a less challenging fight and get less xp and gold for the fights you do on easier difficulties.