Board 8 > Tales of Symphonia Remastered review zone

(+) Yeah! (+)

I swear I don't just like making "I told you so" review zone topics, I just really want to make sure people know this is a shitty port before they spend their money.

https://opencritic.com/game/14298/tales-of-symphonia-remastered

The original Tales of Symphonia HD port was pretty bad too, though, so I would hope this was expected.

Still disappointed that every ToS rerelease is 30 FPS. Never bothered with any of them due to that.

KamikazePotato posted...

Still disappointed that every ToS rerelease is 30 FPS. Never bothered with any of them due to that.

Game literally runs better on my Android phone than this would on PS5.

just want to know what qol changes there are

It's amazing how difficult "Gamecube version with dubbed PS2 content added" is just so difficult for Bamco to grasp.

kateee posted...

just want to know what qol changes there are

Save files are dated
You can skip cutscenes
The boat pilots better

Those appear to be the changes.

kateee posted...

just want to know what qol changes there are

Are there any? Not being facetious, legitimately asking.

I still need to look into this to verify, but from what I can tell it looks like originally Bamco said it had "enhanced controls", which one would assume means combat, but it does look like it may just be the boat they were talking about.

i was kind of hoping for more >_>

skipping cutscenes is good but i was kind of hoping for more since they already made that known with the announcement months back. idk something to make the more annoying dungeons less of a chore or something. i have no idea what that would entail but whatever

UshiromiyaEva posted...

I still need to look into this to verify, but from what I can tell it looks like originally Bamco said it had "enhanced controls", which one would assume means combat, but it does look like it may just be the boat they were talking about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiHXNCT3kaQ

(Directed towards Bamco, not you)

Dark_Young_Link posted...

It's amazing how difficult "Gamecube version with dubbed PS2 content added" is just so difficult for Bamco to grasp.

at this point I think they just lost the source code

I know people have explained to me why Atlus can't just Smash FES and P3P together, but from what I know about the differences between the PS2 and GCN versions of Symphonia it really doesn't seem fundamentally difficult, but maybe there's some code issues in unaware of.

Those videos of what happens when you force PS2 Symphonia to be 60FPS manually ARE pretty funny, though!

https://youtu.be/4QPBSeIvJt8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlGFx6zdxJU

oof

how do you fuck up a pause screen

Grand_Kirby posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlGFx6zdxJU

oof

how do you fuck up a pause screen

The part where they bring up the 3 releases playing side by side is so fucking sad. How can anyone look at that and say 30FPS is fine?

Grand_Kirby posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlGFx6zdxJU

oof

how do you fuck up a pause screen

The battle transition also seems like it could cause some people trouble.

Also to his comment about emulation, yeah, just booted up the GameCube version on my phone to test and it runs at a buttery smooth 1080p60 with no hiccups. This required zero effort.

The battle transition is really bad.

just gonna have to wait 2 more decades for a Nintendo system with GameCube Online added to port over the exact original

I heard and read earlier today this was basically a shameless, unnecessary port for a cashgrab so this topic does not surprise me.

Tanking even more now.

I really don't get how some of these issues could possibly happen.

Stuff like the menus and transitions almost make it feel like they literally just dumped the HD version onto the new hardware and didn't even actually go back over it. Like, not little effort, but zero effort. Stuff like skipping cutscenes and adding dates to save files doesn't seem like it would require actually looking at the game itself to do.

The only mystery itself here are those supposed improved boat controls! Maybe a single dev with a nitpick they refused to let go, lol.

I cant say Im surprised, all the footage they showed looked awful. Absolutely embarrassing when you compare it to Metroid Prime Remastered.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

The only mystery itself here are those supposed improved boat controls! Maybe a single dev with a nitpick they refused to let go, lol.

Dumbest nitpick ever, seeing as you barely ever use the boat. I'd take more issue with those loading times and texture downgrades.

It really seems like a no-effort cash grab and it makes me worry about what'll happen whenever Abyss gets a port. Whenever I get around to my Tales series replay (except for Zestiria), guess I'll just dust off the ol' purple lunchbox...

I am a LITTLE more confident that an Abyss port would still be more effort than this, if not just as bare bones. With ToS they already had an HD port and just dumped it over. Abyss only has a 3DS port, so it would require at least SOME effort.

Of course, and Abyss remake is my most desired theoretical video game at this time, and I doubt that's ever happening.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

I am a LITTLE more confident that an Abyss port would still be more effort than this, if not just as bare bones. With ToS they already had an HD port and just dumped it over. Abyss only has a 3DS port, so it would require at least SOME effort.

Of course, and Abyss remake is my most desired theoretical video game at this time, and I doubt that's ever happening.

I don't need a remake, just a remaster. I'll take ANY new version of Abyss at this point, and will pay whatever it costs on launch.

The same cannot be said for this rushed Symphonia "remaster." I don't see a need to ever get this if it's less playable than the original released twenty years ago. Unacceptable.

Grand_Kirby posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlGFx6zdxJU

oof

how do you fuck up a pause screen

How do you make a rerelease that is in every way worse than an emulated version of the game

At least Warcraft 3 had different art? Not better art but at least different?

What's Symphonia's reputation in Japan?

I wonder if there's a disparity between how the game is viewed as part of the series in it's home territory, versus here where it was lightning in a bottle with a huge Nintendo of America push. There's still an enormous number of people that only played Symphonia and nothing else, I think (maybe not on this board specifically, but I know there are a few).

masterplum posted...

How do you make a rerelease that is in every way worse than an emulated version of the game

It being worse than the original is one thing, I've seen that happen before.

I don't think I've ever seen a game that got and HD port OF and HD port, and it's worse than the original HD port.

How disappointing

UshiromiyaEva posted...

I wonder if there's a disparity between how the game is viewed as part of the series in it's home territory, versus here where it was lightning in a bottle with a huge Nintendo of America push. There's still an enormous number of people that only played Symphonia and nothing else, I think (maybe not on this board specifically, but I know there are a few).

Which is sad, since Abyss is leagues better. Most Tales aficionados consider Symphonia "par" - it's a good game, but there are better Tales outings that exceed the standard it set. The only reason it's the most popular here is, as you say, Nintendo advertising it. A shame Bamco didn't advertise Abyss just the same.

The only reason they keep re-releasing Symphonia specifically is because of the dynamite sales in the West. Imagine if they used this to advertise Abyss... a guy can dream, can't he?

I'm not sure I lasted 15 hours in Abyss before I dropped it.

You'll certainly get no disagreement from me. Abyss is one of my favorite games of all time. The only Tales game that competes with it, depending on what day you ask me, is Berseria.

How is Bamco this shameless

I'm guessing Symphonia was on the PS2 in Japan? Did it look better than the GCN port?

barreldragon88 posted...

How is Bamco this shameless

I'm guessing Symphonia was on the PS2 in Japan? Did it look better than the GCN port?

No, it looked pretty much the same but ran worse. It just had extra content because it was released later (more mystic artes, mainly).

A similar situation to the PS2 version of RE4.

The PS3 release was based on the 30fps PS2 release, and so is this, which is why the all run worse than the 60fps GameCube version.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

I wonder if there's a disparity between how the game is viewed as part of the series in it's home territory, versus here where it was lightning in a bottle with a huge Nintendo of America push. There's still an enormous number of people that only played Symphonia and nothing else, I think (maybe not on this board specifically, but I know there are a few).

Symphonia is the only Tales game I've played all the way through. I've played some Phantasia and Vesperia, but the latter felt so...bland and forgettable that I gave up on it. Not sure why I stopped on Phantasia though.

Symphonia was definitely popular in Japan as well.

VintageGin posted...

Symphonia is the only Tales game I've played all the way through. I've played some Phantasia and Vesperia, but the latter felt so...bland and forgettable that I gave up on it. Not sure why I stopped on Phantasia though.

You should 100% play Abyss and Berseria.

I definitely understand that for Vesperia. The game is best in the middle, but it starts slow and ends bad. I think the love for the MC and the excellent middle act has resulted in a lot of rose tinted glasses. I would still say it's pretty solid though overall.

I have to admit, I was irrationally annoyed by the fact that titles in Vesperia had no effects tied to them.

I liked the stat changes they gave in Symphonia!

Also the Wonderchef was somehow less charming.

Phantasia's p cool although definitely old and challenging

Grand_Kirby posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlGFx6zdxJU

oof

how do you fuck up a pause screen

God that looks so bad. Guess I'll have to skip this after all...

Symphonia didn't have the deepest story and it's combat is nothing to brag about on a technical level compared to later games but the game feels like a reasonably polished, finished product that doesn't screw up majorly somewhere.

I would not say the same about most other Tales games I've played and the things I hear about the ones I haven't played are generally not encouraging on that front.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

I definitely understand that for Vesperia. The game is best in the middle, but it starts slow and ends bad. I think the love for the MC and the excellent middle act has resulted in a lot of rose tinted glasses. I would still say it's pretty solid though overall.

I disagree. Vesperia's best part was in its first act, which is the only part where the cast had actual chemistry. The voice acting was great and all but the cast just didn't mesh as well as they could have after everyone had joined - and I attribute this to someone different writing each act. Overall, the first act (the opening through [MEGA SPOILERS] Yuri assassinating Ragou) was the best part, and I found myself losing interest midway through the second act because of how boring it was.

Yuri is great but the rest of the cast just don't work as well, and the Definitive Edition's additions actually harm the final product, ESPECIALLY with the voice acting waffling back and forth. I don't know if I want to give it another go because it was such a disappointment after Abyss, which I can go back to at any time.

And yes, Abyss and Berseria are the best two. I'd also recommend the Xillia games, particularly the second, but Abyss was a masterpiece and Berseria was modeled after it for a reason. Graces has a great battle system and a cast with an actual sense of humor that ultimately proves to be greater than the sum of its parts. I haven't played Arise yet. AVOID Zestiria at all costs though. I beated the final boss and was more than ready to be done.

Maybe we're looking at the acts differently, I forget the names but I always considered the end of Act 1 to be the fight with that pirate guy in Dahngrest.

Graces gameplay is still the series best gameplay, and the game starts strong, but basically the instant the party is together and the "real plot" starts the game falls apart. Very serious drop-off.

Xillia is....fine. It never really spoke to me. Also that game is very clearly split into 4 acts and that last Act is REALLY BAD.

Xillia 2, I understand the love....jusr couldn't stand it, I had to stop after 15 or so hours. Structurally just not something for me at all.

Arise is really good, not the revolution the gaming journalists were hailing it as by any means, but a very solid leap that have a good sales bump to the franchise.

And of course Zestiria is a fucking joke lol.

As far as pre Symphonia, I haven't played anything besides dropping Legendia after 5 hours, but I hope to fic that soon. I hope to boot up Eternia or Destiny some time in the near future.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

Maybe we're looking at the acts differently, I forget the names but I always considered the end of Act 1 to be the fight with that pirate guy in Dahngrest.

Barbos? That's right before the scene I described. Maybe the battle music changes between them, IDK. It's been a while since my playthrough of the remaster and I can't say it was overly memorable, save for Yuri.

As for Graces... the plot is thin but at least the dialogue is excellent. It's one of few games carried solely by its character interaction. Xillia 1 is fine, yeah, and necessary to play Xillia 2, which... took a vastly different narrative approach, which made it feel refreshing to me.

I'd say for what I've played:
Abyss > Berseria > Xillia 2 > Symphonia >= Xillia 1 > Graces > Vesperia >>> Zestiria > [redacted]

Still don't know why I forced myself through Zestiria. What an abomination.

I'm actually one of the people who was totally fine with Zestiria until the troubles began. Like, the Rose stuff IS really dumb and annoyed me, but I was having a decent enough time. But it just fucking....IMPLODES upon itself. And it's instantaneous! It'd be one thing if it was just the terrible story and writing, but the budget dies at the exact same time!

if you believe the behind the scenes rumors it's fucking HILARIOUS.

I wish I had saved my playthrough topic where I was reacting to the exact moments things started falling apart because I was losing my mind.

I was fine with the first act of Zestiria (where Alisha is playable) but I'm not sure what part you mean by the implosion, since I can think of a few different points. My playthrough topic should be archived at the Lost Old Games Site if you wanna look (it's in the same topic as Berseria). By the end of the game I was just UGHING like mad.

And yeah, the rumors that Hideo Baba was fucking Rose's voice actress may or may not be true, but if he blew up the game for her to be the heroine... boy did that backfire. Cost him his job too!

The story may start to struggle before this, but the exact moment where the game completely falls apart and never recovers (aside from the dragon fight with that sick lyrical track behind it) is when Mayvin dies.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

The story may start to struggle before this, but the exact moment where the game completely falls apart and never recovers (aside from the dragon fight with that sick lyrical track behind it) is when Mayvin dies.

Because of how forced that feels, yeah. I was thinking of that, plus a few other awful parts around the same time in the game, like the entire Sparrowfeather execution-foiling sequence right after... or right before with the Wind Temple and when Dezel sacrifices himself. Really, lots of horribly-written parts around there.

But, yes, "Rising Up" is one of the best Tales climaxes, and that's perhaps the only thing that stands out about Zestiria. The song and the fight would've both been considered iconic had Zestiria not been considered an abomination. There's a reason I listened to that song on repeat for a month after playing that part though!

UshiromiyaEva posted...

Graces gameplay is still the series best gameplay, and the game starts strong, but basically the instant the party is together and the "real plot" starts the game falls apart. Very serious drop-off.

I dream of a Graces that doesn't need to follow the typical JRPG conventions. The main issue (well, one of them) with the drop-off is that a big part of the plot tension up until that point was Asbel's conflict with certain characters, and that basically vanishes once they join the party permanently.

This is disappointing. I bet they patch it later though to fix it up a bit. By then it'll probably be on sale. They'll exploit my laziness to hook up my PS3 to play my copy of TOS remastered.

Graces is great, except for the plot.

I still await the day they release Tales of Destiny R stateside though. C'mon Namco. do it

I made the mistake of playing Berseria before Zesitiria to keep chronological order.

79.7 hours in Berseria.

3.4 in Zestiria. I actually made it 3.4 hours? I wonder how much of this Steam time was with the game in the background.

And apparently my latest save file on Abyss is at 6:19. I.. Thought I at least got past 10 hours on that game.