LogFAQs > #895955496

60. Tales of the Abyss (NBIceman)


Tales of the Abyss is an oddly structured game in many ways. You really have to be patient with it through its first act because it's rough. The cast isn't particularly likable (Luke being first and foremost among them), and the characters don't seem to like each other very much either. The story's pace is rather plodding, and it feels like monumental moments are few and far between. You also have to deal with the game's absurd terminology, which it is not afraid to use ad nauseum. It won't take long before you get tired of hearing Abyss talk about the various types of fonons, the Score, Lorelei, miasma, hyperresonance, etc. However, if you're longsuffering enough to stick with it to Akzeriuth, it will begin to reward you for your perseverance because it changes course. Most of the cast undergoes very compelling character development to the point that I started rooting for them to succeed (Anise never makes the transition to being likable, but eh, you can't win 'em all). The scale of the plot in Abyss expands in a major way, and it finally managed to hook me so that I never had to wonder again about whether to keep playing. The dumb terminology never goes away, but it's a Tales game. It's not going to be perfect.

Luke's character growth from an unbelievably selfish jerk to a self-sacrificing hero is a joy to behold. Sometimes it takes someone hitting absolute rock bottom in more ways than one to get the most out of a character, and that's definitely the case with Luke. The other characters come a long way in moving beyond their dark pasts, but nobody overcomes more of his own faults and failures than Luke. The party goes from a bunch of people who don't like and don't trust each other to a close-knit group. I actually like it a lot when an RPG can pull that off well because the friendship and camaraderie feels earned. It makes for a very satisfying journey for me. The Skits go a long way in that department, too. They've been one of my favorite things in both Symphonia and Abyss (the only two Tales games I've played). I also like the group of antagonists in Tales of the Abyss because each one has a special connection with one of the party members, and it's cool discovering how they relate to one another and what their background together was.

The battle system doesn't feel too different from Tales of Symphonia, but that's fine because I think it's a lot of fun. I eventually swapped out controlling Luke for Guy, whose playstyle is a lot like Lloyd's. I enjoy his flashy, fast-paced moveset. I tend to be aggressive and offensively-minded in video games, regardless of the genre, so Guy fits what I like to do very well. You can just get up in your enemies' faces and attack away. One major improvement over Symphonia is that the dungeons don't suck. They're actually fairly simple and straightforward, which was a nice change of pace. I still prefer Symphonia overall for reasons that I'll get into when we get there, but Abyss was a very worthwhile experience, too.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite Tales game?
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