Topic List |
Page List:
1, 2 |
---|---|
NBIceman 04/01/20 4:36:02 PM #1: |
Your personal favorite out of my top 4?
Vote
The list so far... "Shut up! This isn't about logic!" 5. Yuri Lowell (Vesperia) 6. Jude Mathis (Xillia) 7. Velvet Crowe (Berseria) 8. Guy Cecil (Abyss) 9. Raven (Vesperia) 10. Beryl Benito (Hearts) 11. Alvin (Xillia) 12. Tear Grants (Abyss) If one sword has a power of 100, then using two will make it 200, right? 13. Lloyd Irving (Symphonia) 14. Pascal (Graces) 15. Raine Sage (Symphonia) 16. Eleanor Hume (Berseria) 17. Malik Caesar (Graces) 18. Sheena Fujibayashi (Symphonia) 19. Chalcedony Akerman (Hearts) 20. Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear (Abyss) 21. Laphicet (Berseria) 22. Rita Mordio (Vesperia) 23. Sophie (Graces) 24. Rowen Ilbert (Xillia) 25. Milla Maxwell (Xillia) 26. Rutee Katrea (Destiny) What could this mean for the tournament?! ...Oh screw this. I'm outta here! 27. Eizen (Berseria) 28. Farah Oersted (Eternia) 29. Richard Barona (Graces) 30. Repede (Vesperia) 31. Presea Combatir (Symphonia) 32. Reid Hershel (Eternia) 33. Chester Burklight (Phantasia) 34. Stahn Aileron (Destiny) 35. Gaius (Xillia) 36. Muzet (Xillia) Ive traveled back in time from next week. Please stop throwing monsters at us. 37. Estellise Sidos Heurassein (Vesperia) 38. Alisha Diphda (Zestiria) 39. Rokurou Rangetsu (Berseria) 40. Will Raynard (Legendia) 41. Keele Zeibel (Eternia) 42. Zaveid (Zestiria) 43. Garr Kelvin (Destiny) 44. Kor Meteor (Hearts) 45. Judith (Vesperia) 46. Ludger Kresnik (Xillia) 47. Mary Argent (Destiny) 48. Leia Rolando (Xillia) 49. Claus F. Lester (Phantasia) 50. Flynn Scifo (Vesperia) 51. Anise Tatlin (Abyss) 52. Kratos Aurion (Symphonia) 53. Ines Lorenzen (Hearts) "You're weak! You're a hack! You're wack." 54. Senel Coolidge (Legendia) 55. Rassius Luine (Eternia) 56. Max (Eternia) 57. Norma Beatty (Legendia) 58. Chloe Valens (Legendia) 59. Hubert Oswell (Graces) 60. Karyl Sheeden (Destiny) 61. Arche Klein (Phantasia) 62. Gall Gruner (Hearts) 63. Karol Capel (Vesperia) 64. Asbel Lhant (Graces) 65. Edna (Zestiria) 66. "No, no, no! Horrible! Terrible! Contrived! What kind of shoddy performance is this? Youre an eyesore! Get out of my sight! 67. Regal Bryant (Symphonia) 68. Kohaku Hearts (Hearts) 69. Cress Albane (Phantasia) 70. Elize Lutus (Xillia) 71. Cheria Barnes (Graces) 72. Lailah (Zestiria) 73. Kunzite (Hearts) 74. Philia Felice (Destiny) 75. Genis Sage (Symphonia) 76. Meredy (Eternia) 77. Mint Adenade (Phantasia) 78. Moses Sandor (Legendia) 79. Dezel (Zestiria) 80. Colette Brunel (Symphonia) 81. Hisui Hearts (Hearts) The reaper and a daemon are shaking their heads at this overwrought monstrosity. Intrinsic worth, zero." 82. Chat (Eternia) 83. Grune (Legendia) 84. Mikleo (Zestiria) 85. Chelsea Torn (Destiny) 86. Patty Fleur (Vesperia) 87. Sorey (Zestiria) 88. Leon Magnus (Destiny) 89. Bruiser Khang (Destiny) 90. Emil Castagnier (Symphonia) 91. Jay (Legendia) 92. Suzu Fujibayashi (Phantasia) 93. Marta Lualdi (Symphonia) 94. Rose (Zestiria) 95. Shirley Fennes (Legendia) --- ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Shonen_Bat 04/01/20 4:38:16 PM #4: |
Let's go Magilou
--- Hello again. ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Anagram 04/01/20 4:51:14 PM #5: |
Tag
--- Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig. Started: July 6, 2005 ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Xiahou Shake 04/01/20 4:57:37 PM #6: |
Tag, let's go Luke #1
--- Let the voice of love take you higher, With this gathering power, go beyond even time! ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
xp1337 04/01/20 5:07:36 PM #7: |
Voted Jade but Luke v Jade is really tough. They're both so good in different ways. Luke has his whole character arc, but Jade is a fascinating look at someone who has mostly run through his by the time the game starts and you get to see the results as well as piece together the backstory.
he's also a top tier troll --- xp1337: Don't you wish there was a spell-checker that told you when you a word out? ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Haunter12O 04/01/20 5:12:57 PM #8: |
I fucking hate Jade. At this point Im hoping either Zelos or Magilou are #1. Abyss cast is a large reason Im not fond of that game.
... Copied to Clipboard!
|
_stingers_ 04/01/20 5:14:52 PM #9: |
Haunter12O posted...
I fucking hate Jade. At this point Im hoping either Zelos or Magilou are #1. Abyss cast is a large reason Im not fond of that game.bad take --- Congrats Black Turtle! ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
UshiromiyaEva 04/01/20 5:15:37 PM #10: |
Haunter12O posted...
I fucking hate Jade. At this point Im hoping either Zelos or Magilou are #1. Abyss cast is a large reason Im not fond of that game. Ouch But I mean yeah MAGIKAZAM ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Smash Master 04/01/20 5:47:24 PM #11: |
re-tag.
--- This is a sig, woo. ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
kateee 04/01/20 5:50:04 PM #12: |
wow that's an excellent bottom 3
... Copied to Clipboard!
|
BK_Sheikah00 04/01/20 7:10:56 PM #13: |
... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/01/20 9:51:35 PM #14: |
Very even poll so far! Apologies to the ~25% of you I'm about to therefore disappoint.
#4 - Zelos Wilder (Symphonia) "Haha, I don't know what to tell ya. I'm just a weak lazy bum. All I want is a fun, easy life. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less." I remember first being exposed to Zelos in one of the GFAQs Character Battles. It was his and Lloyds appearance in that contest (or it may have been multiple contests - despite being a fairly seasoned B8 member at this point Im far from a contest buff) that prompted me to pick up my first Tales game when I saw it for cheap at GameStop. Then I played it, and, though I loved the game overall, I found myself thinking, What the hell was Zelos doing in that contest? Hes annoying and dull! For at least my first two or three playthroughs I made sure to kill him in favor of getting that amazing badass Kratos back in my party instead. Now, many years later, here we are with Zelos sitting in 4th place on this comprehensive ranking, waving cheerfully at Kratos sitting way back in spot 52. Zelos might be the character in Tales with the lowest opinion of himself, which is really saying something. Colette is the Chosen that wants to die because she thinks thats the only way her life has meaning. Zelos is the Chosen that wants to die because he believes his life has no meaning full-stop and he just hates being alive. From the moment his uncaring mother told him, with her dying breath, that he shouldve never been born, his existence becomes a hollow parade of people that just want to use him. His purpose has nothing to do with him and everything to do with his station. Like with Colette, What Zelos doesnt try to hide is that hell look out for number one above all else. He wants to be on the winning side, he says. Even this is a bit of a half-truth, as hes really prioritizing his half-sister above even himself for the most part (their whole dynamic is absolutely fantastic, by the way), but its genuine in that he does spend most of the game And Lloyd obviously is the impetus for most of Zeloss growth. Hes the first person to see Zelos as a person, and thats enough for him to rethink his entire worldview. Theres a lot of smaller traits and moments that make Zelos into a true, fully realized character. That hes easily the most intelligent party member who isnt literally a genius. That he can be a hypocrite at times, losing his temper with Sheena for And finally, FINALLY, we get to a character that actually takes something positive away from the sequel. Where all the rest of the Symphonia cast is willing to doubt Lloyd to varying degrees, Zelos never even entertains the notion. He completely dismisses Emil when he badmouths him to the point that hes going to save Alice just to spite him, and later, when TL;DR: Zelos is a perfect execution of his character archetype from the first time you meet him all the way to the end. He works great in the context of the world, the story, and the party. I went from someone who --- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/01/20 9:52:13 PM #15: |
Tales of Symphonia Wrap-Up
To humans like you, I can entrust this life of mine. There was a point a few years back, when newer and shinier Tales games had come out and I hadnt played through Symphonia for a while, where I felt pretty strongly that this cast was overrated by fans of the series, held up mostly on the strength of Lloyd and Raine and especially Zelos. And I still sort of believe that. More recently, though, characters like Sheena and Presea have worked their way up higher on the list, and its now a pretty polarized cast. Youve got some of the best characters in the series hanging around with three of its absolute worst. Itd be better for everyone if the atrocity that is Dawn of the New World never existed - the only Symphonia cast member that got any help from that game is the one that needed it the least. I guess maybe the duality of this party is consistent with the world they come from. One half flourishes, the other half is harvesting dirt. This metaphor only kind of makes sense and isnt that funny but whatever Im leaving it here. --- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
UshiromiyaEva 04/01/20 9:55:42 PM #16: |
1 right so far. 3 to go baybeeeeeee.
... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Smash Master 04/01/20 10:08:42 PM #17: |
I did predict Zelos at 4 at the end of the previous topic, so... woo to that much I guess XD
And yeah, I was similar: Originally I took Kratos path every time to get rid of Zelos, but gradually I started taking the Zelos path more and more, and by the time I did Zelos's own split on the Zelos path.... well, let's just say if I take Kratos path now, its not because I want Zelos out, but because I want Kratos in that run. Even then I make myself regret it by setting a certain boss fight to Mania. You know the one. --- This is a sig, woo. ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
captaincanadian 04/01/20 11:38:07 PM #18: |
that's a good top 5 and it's nice to see shirley at the bottom where she belongs
--- . ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
snake_5036 04/01/20 11:43:22 PM #19: |
NBIceman posted...
80. Colette Brunel (Symphonia) NBIceman posted... 95. Shirley Fennes (Legendia)based --- You felt your sins weighing on your neck. ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Anagram 04/01/20 11:56:14 PM #20: |
Damn, Symphonia is the only game I've played. I enjoyed reading about characters I actually know about, though!
--- Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig. Started: July 6, 2005 ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
UshiromiyaEva 04/02/20 12:04:28 AM #21: |
Anagram posted...
Damn, Symphonia is the only game I've played. I enjoyed reading about characters I actually know about, though! There are a lot of great games in this series! Berseria is very modern and very, very good. Abyss if you want a classic! Vesperia is a very solid all around, too. ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
shadowysea07 04/02/20 12:56:03 AM #22: |
NBIceman posted...
his half-sisterWhere did they mention she's his half sister? --- The real treasure is the skeletons we made along the way. A battle where my skeleton is in my body and enemies skeletons no longer are is a good battle ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
xp1337 04/02/20 12:59:27 AM #23: |
shadowysea07 posted...
Where did they mention she's his half sister?I forget the exact spot where they do (Flanoir?) but --- xp1337: Don't you wish there was a spell-checker that told you when you a word out? ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
shadowysea07 04/02/20 1:02:46 AM #24: |
NBIceman posted...
And Lloyd obviously is the impetus for most of Zeloss growth. Hes the first person to see Zelos as a person, and thats enough for him to rethink his entire worldview. He goes from a guy who freely admits to being a little racistPart of the reason he is the way he is was due to his mother being xp1337 posted... I forget the exact spot where they do (Flanoir?) but Seles's mother was the one who tried to kill Zelos when he was younger in the incident where his own mother died shielding him.Oh apparently I missed that specific part. As I remember the stuff about his mom but I didn't know the stuff about seles. Weird too as I thought the reason she was kept in the abbey was due to keeping chosens and their family lines separated and because of her having some kind of illness or weak constitution. As for the shielding him part that wasn't stated and I would assume didn't happen unless it was mentioned in outside media or different versions of the game. If this is all the case then would that make NBIceman posted... I went from someone whoI am surprised you did given that zelos is needed for the majority of side quests while picking kratos locks you out of them. The beach, noble costumes off the top of my head required him. Smash Master posted... I did predict Zelos at 4 at the end of the previous topic, so... woo to that much I guess XDOn that note it kills me that there's only one section of the game where you can put both of them in the party at the same time. As I definitely would have a hard time not doing so if the option was permanent. I never thought about it but I wonder if they had any after battle quotes for them? --- The real treasure is the skeletons we made along the way. A battle where my skeleton is in my body and enemies skeletons no longer are is a good battle ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Smash Master 04/02/20 1:24:50 AM #25: |
^There's no after-battle quotes for them, but there is a unison attack combo for them. Granted its just cross thrust, same as if either one had done it with Lloyd, but it's still pretty nifty that it exists.
--- This is a sig, woo. ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
xp1337 04/02/20 1:31:06 AM #26: |
I may be misremembering the shielding thing. In Flanoir Zelos states she was caught in the crossfire but maybe I just have a hard time imagining the aim was that off.
He does explicitly name Seles's mom as --- xp1337: Don't you wish there was a spell-checker that told you when you a word out? ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/02/20 3:05:32 AM #27: |
#3 - Jade Curtiss (Abyss)
Dont worry, the worst that could happen is we all die. As a younger NBIceman, across my first playthrough or three of Abyss, Jade endeared himself greatly to me with his wit and snark and steadfast commitment to trolling everyone in the entire game. Back in those days, hed have been #1 on this list based purely on those qualities. And Im not gonna pretend theyre not still a huge part of why hes #3 and couldve just as easily been #2 or even still 1. But theres a lot more to the colonel than just that, and I dont think that gets acknowledged enough. For starters, is there any other playable character in the series that gets more respect from the rest of the world, including the antagonists, than Jade? Milla is the only one that gives him a run for his money, but Id still give the edge to the Necromancer. Largo considers him so dangerous that he uses the Fon Slot Seal (a weapon stated to cost about a tenth of a whole nations yearly budget) to incapacitate him, and then You can tell early on that theres just something not quite right about him. Even before he deduces that Its not like his sociopathic tendencies ever completely go away, either - hes just more aware of them and he does his level best to keep them under control. Most of the time, he does a pretty good job of it. Some of his more heartless moments can be seen as mere pragmatism through different lenses, and its undeniable that his cold, detached decision-making saves the party on more than one occasion. Plus, when you look past his disturbingly calm exterior, its obvious that his part in Jades more honest moments are some of the best of the game, and they come out most often in his conversations with Luke in the second half. The first instance is when Luke first finds out what happened with Thats the tragedy of Jades character. Hes really trying to be a good person. It just doesnt come at all naturally to him. But he tries, and Lukes commitment to changing is seemingly what spurs that on. Theres a subtle change in the way he treats the other party members throughout the game thats probably most obvious with Anise in --- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/02/20 3:05:35 AM #28: |
Theres also his eventual admittance that
His best development comes right at the end of the game, though, when he finally starts to forgive himself for And all this is wonderfully contrasted with how freaking funny the dude is, and I have to give a shout out to the incredible voice work of Kirk Thornton for that. Every line is delivered so perfectly. I dont really see people talk about this much, but Jade was the first uber-troll in the series. Its since become a staple of Tales parties, and thats all because of how popular Jade was. But no ones done it better. Hed be the most quotable character in the series based purely on his serious lines in Abyss. When you throw in the jokes and one-liners, its not even a contest anymore. Also, he has a Pac-Man belt buckle. TL;DR: Hes badass, funny, and very well-developed. What more can you ask for? People tend to think of the troll side of Jade first, but theres a really complete character in there as well. --- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/02/20 3:08:34 AM #29: |
Down to 2! And one of them's winning the little mini-poll right now, so that's fun. Gonna finish this up tomorrow with these last two drops.
For the record, spots 1-3 were all in pretty close contention for #1. They've all occupied it at different times in my head. So hopefully no one's too disappointed! --- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Unbridled9 04/02/20 4:18:31 AM #30: |
Yikes. Really rough on Rose there. I really don't get all the hate for her.
--- I am the gentle hand who heals, the happy smile who shields, and the foot that will kick your ***! - White Mage ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/02/20 4:57:52 AM #31: |
Unbridled9 posted...
Yikes. Really rough on Rose there. I really don't get all the hate for her.That reminds me. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/78413187 Meant to put this in the opening post, but that was the first topic. If anyone's curious to see the writeups for the rest of the list, they're all there. --- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Unbridled9 04/02/20 5:46:43 AM #32: |
It's not like I'm arguing she's a great character. She's C-tier at best. I think in any other game she would have been on-par with someone like Leia in terms of importance and love/hate and stuff. Maybe a bit lower but nowhere near as hated. The problem is that Zesteria does a nasty combo on her since you always HAVE to have her in your party or else you're fighting at a serious disadvantage and it
Not saying she's great (like I said, a C-tier at most), I just think that second worst is a liiiiitle bit too harsh. Also, are you really certain she's a Mary Sue? Usually I define Sues by how much the world warps to accommodate them and I don't recall it being too bad for Rose. Yea, she's got some moments, but a Sue? I don't think so. --- I am the gentle hand who heals, the happy smile who shields, and the foot that will kick your ***! - White Mage ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
UshiromiyaEva 04/02/20 9:15:36 AM #33: |
Tales or Zesteria was basically rewritten and rushed into a piece of trash because the director either wanted to or did start screwing the VA for Rose, a minor character, and she was changed into the female lead late into development.
So in a roundabout way Rose is somewhat specifically the reason the last half of that game is such a fucking trashfire. Though it's arguably not super fair since obviously Hideo Baba himself is at fault, though she also just kind of sucks to begin with. I said earlier that there was a very short list of party members I felt could have carried a Tales game as a lead if given the chance. That list is three: Guy, Eleanor, and Alicia. ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
UshiromiyaEva 04/02/20 9:17:05 AM #34: |
Oh, and GO GO MAGILOU.
2 for 2 so far let's DO THIIIIIIIIIS.. ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Raka_Putra 04/02/20 10:09:04 AM #35: |
Tag.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ywr15C7eLM Ma ma ma Magilou Ma ma ma Magilou Ma ma ma Magilou --- Into the woods, but mind the past... Into the woods, but mind the future! ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
MysteriousStan 04/02/20 11:09:37 AM #36: |
I was gonna guess Luke > Magilou > Jade > Zelos at the end of the last topic but it closed before I could post. So far so good!
... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Maniac64 04/02/20 12:04:46 PM #37: |
No mention of Zelos flirting and being able to get items from women? I thought that was really amusing when I played it.
--- "Hope is allowed to be stupid, unwise, and naive." ~Sir Chris ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/02/20 2:50:09 PM #38: |
Unbridled9 posted...
Also, are you really certain she's a Mary Sue? Usually I define Sues by how much the world warps to accommodate them and I don't recall it being too bad for Rose. Yea, she's got some moments, but a Sue? I don't think so.Zestiria absolutely does warp to accommodate her, both in the context of the game proper and in the meta way that was mentioned where the whole thing was rewritten to make her the main character. And she is the main character by the end - Sorey is just along for the ride. Malevolence flat-out does not work the same way with Rose as it does with every other character in Zestiria or even Berseria. Killing is the worst sin possible, unless Rose does it. Everything that the Shepherd's group does has lasting consequences for the world, unless it's something Rose does, in which case all of the consequences are beneficial if there are even any at all. Zestiria is more concerned with making Rose look good to the player than telling a compelling story. That's the bottom line. And it shows. Maniac64 posted... No mention of Zelos flirting and being able to get items from women? I thought that was really amusing when I played it.It's a fun mechanic conceptually, but the novelty wore off real fast for me. He needs an EX Skill slot to do it, there aren't any really interesting interactions with it because all of the NPCs say the same thing, and it drives my completionist mind crazy to feel like I'm missing out on stuff if I don't grab every item I possibly can with it. Doesn't really affect my opinion of the character either way, so I didn't really think it was much worth talking about. These last few writeups are long enough as it is. --- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
HBJDubs 04/02/20 3:40:36 PM #39: |
This is the correct final two! I have Magilou as my #1 but either outcome is good
--- Save in the name of true love ~Project 1000~ ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Haunter12O 04/02/20 3:59:26 PM #40: |
I want to see a Trails character ranking.
... Copied to Clipboard!
|
UshiromiyaEva 04/02/20 4:21:01 PM #41: |
This is probaly my final 2 as well, so I mean I can't be MAD....but I want to nail it.
... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/02/20 4:21:14 PM #42: |
I've considered doing a Trails ranking in, y'know, ten years when I actually play them all.
I might be able to pull off a half-decent Sky ranking if nothing else since I'm almost done with Sky the 3rd, but I think I need a little break from ranking projects after this one! --- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/02/20 11:40:46 PM #43: |
Ended up being a lot busier than I thought today and I don't want to just toss in the finale late at night, so I guess it's going to actually be tomorrow. Sorry y'all, hope no one was on the edge of their seats for it.
--- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
UshiromiyaEva 04/03/20 12:00:50 AM #44: |
I'm no longer on the seat.
... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Mega Mana 04/03/20 1:49:09 PM #45: |
Don't know if I'm tired or out of it, but just hit got to Dahlgren and man this town theme is rocking.
Ten Best Town Themes --- "In my headcanon, some staffer saw Trump pull out his phone and start typing so they just Terry Tate Office Linebacker'd him out of his shoes." - FFD ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/03/20 6:16:51 PM #46: |
Alrighty, here we go.
#2 - Magilou (Berseria) Let the biting bugs go ahead and eat what they wanna eat! Let the weeds grow where they wanna grow! Some may look down on them and scoff at their foolishness, but their unwavering wills are proof that theyre alive. If thats what you call evil, then I will live and die with evil as my mantra! Remember Jack Sparrows introduction in Curse of the Black Pearl? Grand, heroic music kicking in as he stands proudly aboard his ship, only to have it revealed that its actually a rapidly sinking dinghy that hes just barely managing to keep afloat? He pauses to salute the skeletons of hanged pirates, then casually steps off the mast into Port Royal as the dinghy slips completely below water. Then he ties it up anyway, bribes the harbormaster to ignore him, and then immediately steals the dudes coin pouch. Its widely regarded as one of the best character introductions ever in cinema, and it deserves every bit of it. Within two minutes, weve already got a clear, amazing picture of who the character is. Magilous intro would get my vote for the equivalent scene in video games. I dont think Ive ever fallen in love with a video game character as quickly as I did with her. Berserias opening is dark. It has a whole village turning into monsters, a pretty gruesome child killing, and a grim prison escape sequence. And right in the middle of all that, this happens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H24IDKP3lo She effortlessly sneaks up on Velvet (which we already know isnt exactly easy), gives her a creepy, menacing smirk, casually ducks the ensuing slash, and then, in the same motion, launches into a monologue so overly dramatic and laden with rhymes that its practically gibberish, before nonchalantly wandering off to who-knows-where. And Velvet and Seres could not possibly be less interested as its all happening. Seventy-five seconds here give us a lot of information and fascinating questions. We can tell right off the bat that Magilous at least a little bit out of it, but its also clear that she has a dangerous edge to her. Shes imprisoned on an island along with the rest of the worst of societys worst, and somehow her carefree attitude makes her feel more threatening than any of them. At the same time, the lack of reaction from her audience shows how shes going to be regarded by most of the games characters. And, as youll see sometimes, by a decent portion of players. Magilou, to a certain extent, invites archetypal classification. Its very easy to dismiss her as just another party member that hides buried pain and a cynical worldview beneath a thick layer of comedy, and shes so over-the-top about it that it becomes obnoxious and almost cringey. If thats how youd describe her, you wouldnt really be saying anything wrong. But this is one of those times where correctness doesnt imply accuracy. Magilou is an absolutely beautiful character. One of the major themes of Berseria is how it's not only a bad idea to try, but also impossible to succeed in removing emotion from a human being. She is meant to embody that idea. But heres the beautiful part - she may also love people more genuinely and fully than anyone else in the series. That even gets alluded to in Zestiria from the seraph that talks about That facade slips with some regularity, though. She straight-up says at one point that a happy illusion is better than a sad reality, and later that people can fight against pain but not happiness. And although she never really shows it, it definitely bothers her that the rest of the party is still treating her like a nuisance in the mid-game while the other five are developing a rapport, which leads to one of the most entertaining skits in the game with her trying to browbeat Velvet into giving her a nickname in tacit acknowledgement of her importance to the party. Turns out her strategy of distance doesnt work so well when she happens upon a group of people too crazy to be affected by her lunacy. Her inherent empathy shines through on occasion, too - shes fond of Laphicet from the beginning, calling him kiddo and telling Eizen to go easy on him when the subject of mothers comes up, which is the first time she expresses anything resembling concern for anyone, and sometimes it seems like even she has misgivings about the way malakhim are generally treated. Its clear th ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/03/20 6:16:55 PM #47: |
Even without all that intrigue, though, Im one of the people who just plain finds Magilou hilarious. Shes a master troll, and the most consistent source of levity in a game thats often pensive at best. Really, the most disturbing part of
And man, is the payoff ever awesome. And the last we see of Magilou is Im gonna finish, once again, by shouting out the voice actor. Erica Lindbeck outdid herself with this performance, and its awesome that she seems to really be breaking out in the industry now. Magilou, line-by-line, has the best-written dialogue in the franchise. Her comic relief lines are clever and actually funny, and her serious lines can often be legitimately profound instead of just tryhard, all tied together with prose that isnt often seen in video games, let alone JRPGs. But, like with Velvet, it wouldnt work if they werent delivered right, and Lindbeck throws herself into this character 100% and really brings her to life. Its very obvious that she got a huge kick out of playing such an exaggerated character, and that sort of enthusiasm rubs off. TL;DR: Magilou can be somewhat off-putting, and at first glance she might seem a little cliche or prototypical. But everything about her serves a specific purpose, and when you really stop to consider the role she plays in the party dynamic, her importance to one of the games strongest messages, and the little details that flesh her out, something unique and unforgettable takes shape. Shes an achievement as a party member, and I have no hesitation in listing her among my favorite fictional characters ever. Magikazam! --- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
UshiromiyaEva 04/03/20 6:18:39 PM #48: |
... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/03/20 6:21:13 PM #49: |
Tales of Berseria Wrap-Up
Just you wait! Im putting this down in my revenge journal! This is just a fantastic cast, and everyone knows it. Its actually kind of incredible, with how polarizing pretty much everything in Tales is, that we finally got a set of party members that just seems to be universally beloved. Everyone has a defined role in the context of the larger plot and in the group itself, and they all play it well. They have plenty of comic chemistry, but they also have the kind of bonds and understanding with each other to pull off more serious conversations on the (fairly common) occasion that theyre necessary. Velvet and Magilou are unquestionably two of the best characters the series ever produced, and Id put them up among the best in video games as a whole, but so much of that is because of how excellently they play off their castmates. The relationships that these six form all feel so genuine and compelling, and that goes a long way into immersing a player into a world the way Berseria does. And theyre all even pretty fun in battle! Gun to my head, I do still prefer the Abyss offering by a tiny hair, but Magilous Menagerie is an incredible achievement in JRPG parties. The genre is more or less predicated on the idea of a group of misfits coming together to fight for or against something greater than themselves, and there arent many greater examples of that than this cast here. Act. Like. A. Dove. And they were never heard from again... Writeup for Luke coming in a few hours! --- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
NBIceman 04/04/20 12:32:37 AM #50: |
Page break so I don't have to split Luke between two pages.
--- https://imgur.com/UYamul2 Spurs - Yankees - Eagles - Golden Knights ... Copied to Clipboard!
|
Topic List |
Page List:
1, 2 |