Combat is fast and furious, and it never lets up.
Namco’s Tales series is probably one of the better-known RPG series that isn’t Final Fantasy. Most players would assume that popular RPG series naturally go to the PS2. It must have been a surprise, then, to learn that Tales of Symphonia went to the GameCube instead (a PS2 version is apparently on the way). This is a very good thing, because the GC does not have a balanced library; you could count the number of GC RPGs on one hand. If you’re tired of looking for Skies of Arcadia Legends, then give ToS a try, because chances are you won’t be disappointed.
First, let me get this out of the way: yes, the story is nothing special, and yes, if you’re that kind of person who is into heavy stories, you won’t like this game. ToS, for some reason, gets singled out for having a clichéd storyline—as if other, more popular RPGs don’t use them (but you’ll never hear about them). I am not one to be critical of an RPG if it doesn’t present something 100% original, because the fact is that most RPG stories aren’t 100% original.
Now that I have cleared up the story issue, allow me to move on to what is really important: the gameplay, where ToS does many things right. ToS is, in a word, fast-paced. Combat is almost everything that one would hope for in an RPG. The (non-random) encounters are over as soon as they begin, and most boss battles never take more than 5 minutes. This is due to the real-time combat system, which is probably the fastest ever seen in a RPG. The speed of combat means it’s never an exercise in tedium. The AI that controls the other party members can hold their own well, thanks to all the combat options available to them. I seldom had to worry about my characters getting trounced by an enemy because the AI might act stupid. Spells are executed in real time, and aren’t long and exaggerated.
In-game events never drag, thus there will never be a moment where you just wish you could get back to playing. The number of FMV scenes does not reach double digits, and none of them are more than two minutes, save for the ending. ToS maintains a consistent pace, and does not waste time in moving to the next event. This should not suggest that the game is short, as it is average in length (~40 hours, not including sidequests). The only problem is the skits, which the player has no control over. They’re entirely optional, but most players wouldn’t skip them the first time. Cutscenes and in-game events cannot be skipped, but they don’t last long anyway.
The graphics are simple but colourful and easy on the eyes. They definitely aren’t state-of-the-art, but they are not terrible. The only real eyesore is the world map—but really, when has the world map in a RPG been consistent with the rest of the game? The graphic quality is deliberate, because the entire map is being displayed at once. It’s one giant room, as opposed to smaller rooms connected together (dungeons and towns). The voice work is very well done; none of the voices sound flat, nor do they grate on the nerves, since Namco wisely chose top VA talent (such as my favourite, Cam Clark). The music, however, is not one of ToS’ strong points. Very few tracks will stick in your mind long after you’ve finished the game. I rank Motoi Sakuraba among the top video game composers, but ToS is not one of his career highlights. He does not take all the blame, since there was more than one composer working on the soundtrack.
I have to mention one cool feature in ToS that more RPGs should have: a synopsis. Basically, it tells you what you need to do next, and it recaps what’s happened in the story thus far. Most gamers know that it’s a pain trying to get back into a RPG that you haven’t played for months, so the synopsis is very welcome because it saves us the trouble of starting over.
ToS is one of the few RPGs to provide actual replay value. Aside from different difficulty settings (which you can change at any time), you get a really cool feature that allows you to change how you play the game when you start a new one. Think of it as a customizable new game+. Gamers who know me and read my reviews know that I am one of the biggest proponents of replay value in RPGs, and I am glad to see that more effort is being made to entice the player to play through them again.
ToS is a RPG worth your while. Combat goes by quickly like a typical melee in an action game, and the pacing is generally fast and consistent, so there will be few slow moments. The story may not be original, but that should not take away any enjoyment one might get from playing. Besides, most RPG stories aren’t original to begin with. GC owners can boast that they have a top RPG that PS2-only gamers wish they had, while the rest of us can be glad that another quality RPG has been produced.
