Current Events > I'mma start playing Tales of Symphonia (Spoilers)

(+) Yeah! (+)

Never played a Tales Of game, so not fully sure what to expect. Just know its a fantasy RPG, and that a few different people on the internet said it was a good place to start in the series. Also it was randomly already in my PS+ account so dont have to buy it.

Ive heard of Lloyd but also dont know shit about him.

The only major advice I'll give you is that physical attackers are much, much better than magical ones.

Symphonia's a fun game. It'll probably feel a bit dated now, but if you can look past that it's an enjoyable experience.

Tales of symphonia is fun as hell.

Like post 3 said some aspects will possibly feel dated in this day and age (you don't "free run" in tales of symphonia. (Basically like normal action game 360 degree movement)). You have to think of tales of symphonia as a 2.5D fighting game.

Early tales of series' thing is that they felt like playing a rpg version of street fighter alpha. (It especially feels this way for the tales of games that has that "combo command" accesory. This accessory changes all the character's artes into capcom/SNK fighter style motion inputs. Like a demon fang would be a hadoken motion. This made playing tales of eternia (localized as tales of destiny 2 in north america on the PS1) awesome as hell to me).

Tales of symphonia has that same fighting game energy despite not having that combo command accesory in it. Once you eventually learn the artes, each direction of the analog stick while have a move you can equip to it. (The 4 arte moves will be standing still and pressing the art button. Holding up and pressing the arte button. Holding either left or right and pressing the art button. Finally, holding down and pressing the arte button).

At the beginning of the game, you will start off using lloyd. When it comes to combos, when you first start the game you will only have the ability to do 3 basic attacks, and then one of those arte attacks after your 3 hit combo. Just like with artes, standing still, pressing left or right, pressing up, or pressing down will each do a different attack with the basic hit button. Its easy so you will get it down quick.

When you want to get to the other side of the enemy, you have to actually run and jump over them as if you were playing a 2D fighting game. Also make a habit of learning when to run and jump to avoid a enemy's spell attacks.

Tales of symphonia is a great one to start with.

Dont be afraid to use a guide. There is a lot of missable stuff and obscure alternate paths. also an alternate final party that definitely needs a guide to see when it triggers.

Aside from that, play it how you want.

Tales of Symphonia was a much needed game for a console that was in dire need for more JPRGs. Luckily it was a good one.

I think by default the game sets your controlled character into semi automatic mode, so you can change that in the menu if you dont like it.

Garioshi posted...

The only major advice I'll give you is that physical attackers are much, much better than magical ones.

That's more true on star ocean than in tales

Some really OP tales party members are mages like rita

yusiko posted...

That's more true on star ocean than in tales

Some really OP tales party members are mages like rita

well specifically in Symphonia it's true though because the spell queue makes using both Genis and Raine horrible

Oh no. Once rain learns revive and nurse she is an unstoppable beast. Never need another gel except mp gels ever again. And then once she gets healing circle and revitalize. Oh and you need her for prism stars.

Take a shot every time you hear "inferior beings"

You are now tracking this topic.

Tales of Symphonia is my favorite game of all time, though I acknowledge that it's for nostalgia reasons. I don't think I'd rate it very highly if I played it for the first time today; it's definitely dated in certain respects. But it's still worth playing if only to see what Tales is about~

Will admit, I definitely thought this game was gonna be turn based, gonna take me a minute to figure out this battle system, not great at it so far.

Are any of the the Tales Of games turn based or was I just fully mistaken as to the gameplay style of these games?

JKwaffle posted...

Will admit, I definitely thought this game was gonna be turn based, gonna take me a minute to figure out this battle system, not great at it so far.

Are any of the the Tales Of games turn based or was I just fully mistaken as to the gameplay style of these games?

They're all like this to some degree. The official name for the Tales battle system is LMBS, or Linear Motion Battle System. Each game has its own spin on it, but Symphonia's is probably the most straightforward inside of battle.

JKwaffle posted...

Will admit, I definitely thought this game was gonna be turn based, gonna take me a minute to figure out this battle system, not great at it so far.

Are any of the the Tales Of games turn based or was I just fully mistaken as to the gameplay style of these games?

While there are a couple exceptions for the most part Tales is not turn based. Are you sure you aren't mixing it with the Trails series? (Legend of Heroes)

_____Cait posted...

Dont be afraid to use a guide. There is a lot of missable stuff and obscure alternate paths. also an alternate final party that definitely needs a guide to see when it triggers.

Aside from that, play it how you want.

What do you mena by alternate final p[arty, I played it way back when so maybe thsi is from the new version.
you cna tag it as spoiler so TC does not see.

archizzy posted...

While there are a couple exceptions for the most part Tales is not turn based. Are you sure you aren't mixing it with the Trails series? (Legend of Heroes)

Its possible; Ive just been itching for a non-early FF or Persona turn based game for a while, especially one from the early-mid 2000s; Takes Of seemed like a good choice since it seems like most of their stories are standalone like FF, but I guess I got the gameplay mixed up with one of the other series I was considering. Whoopsie.

Still seems fun and gonna play it, working through the temple right now, will play more when I get off work.

JKwaffle posted...

Will admit, I definitely thought this game was gonna be turn based, gonna take me a minute to figure out this battle system, not great at it so far.

Are any of the the Tales Of games turn based or was I just fully mistaken as to the gameplay style of these games?

These type of action battle systems has always been a major part of the tales of series' identity, so all of the major games is the same way. Star ocean and something like the mana series is similar like that.

orcus_snake posted...

What do you mena by alternate final p[arty, I played it way back when so maybe thsi is from the new version.
you cna tag it as spoiler so TC does not see.

okay huge spoilers

Late in the game there is a snow village. Someone will knock on your door. If you choose not to answer them, a second person will knock, then a third. Refuse all 3 and you get an alternate final party.

honestly the normal final party is better imo. Its better that this character is a triple agent instead of a double agent. Only pretending to be evil fits their narrative better. Theres a lot of pain hidden behind the jokes. It makes sense for them to not be a traitor in the end.

orcus_snake posted...

What do you mena by alternate final p[arty, I played it way back when so maybe thsi is from the new version.
you cna tag it as spoiler so TC does not see.

There is a certain character that can leave/die off and replaced by a similar character.

By canon (because of tales of symphonia 2) this character isn't supposed to like, die, and so will normally stick with the party but back when it was just symphonia 1 that was made its a alternate story beat than can happen.

Towards the end in symphonia 1 in the snow town flanoir there will be a mandatory cutscene when lloyd went back to his hotel room to think about life. There will be 3 characters that knock at the door to have a 1 on 1 vibe session. These 3 characters will be the party members with the highest affection for lloyd. The first person that knocks (inb4 breaking bad reference) is the one with the highest.

*symphonia has a sort of hidden affection system. The various multiple choice convo answers and doing certain actions and sidequests affect this system*.

For a guaranteed way to get that alternate party member switch you have to decline all three of those door knocks. The alternate will knock as the 4th, and then this decision will be locked in.

Its also possible to get the alternate member to be one of those original 3 with the highest affection, and so you can just answer when they come a-knockin'

*Yeah ignore that TC. I still didn't name anyone though*

Let us know when it's pancake time

the tales franchise is like the oldest long lasting action jrpg franchises around