Tales of Symphonia and Tales of Symphonia 2?

I really enjoyed Tales of Symphonia 1 on the GameCube. I'm curious in terms of polish, effort, etc how different is Tales of Symphonia 2 compared to the original. If it's about the same then that's okay with. If it's better even in small ways that's fine as well.

Or is it actually worse in any way?

I felt like the game was not on the same level as the first one. To me it felt like a fanservice game, as if they made it just because us fans wanted it :?. It was a good game I suppose, but it just doesn't live up to the first one. ToS is the highest rated Tales game on this site, and that is something I agree with. The first one is still in my top 15 games. ToS2 felt like it had some mediocre gameplay, voice acting was meh (Scott Menville was completey absent), and I thought that the graphics lost its "charm" when they decided to do a less cel-shaded art scheme.

I advise you also read through the player reviews, since the scores seem to be very mixed. You can find it HERE :).

IMO, it is worse in pretty much every way. But, if you are a fan of the original, it should be at least a somewhat enjoyable experience. Maybe its just nostalgia speaking, but the art style, combat looks (how the special attacks look), the unified attack, the strategy (this one im not sure cause im too lazy to look up, the voice acting (this one im sure, very little of the actors returned), animations, and plot were better in the original. THe music are all rehashed, the sound effects are terrible, you can tell the b-team was on this game. The production value was just low. One small thing that always comes to my mind (and this is beyond small but really shows some rushed developing) is that the footstep audio does not even come close to matching the animation on screen. now if that's not lazy or at least rushed, then i really dont know what is.

This game could have been a great sequel if it werent

a) a spinoff

b) obviously not funded or manpowered enough (yes i just took an adjective and turned it into a verb)

c) so short

I dont blame namco, or the tales teams or anybody for my disappointment. I was so excited when i heard it was a sequel... then i found out it was a spinoff. It was their first tales RPG on the wii and no one would know how it would turn out. So the safe way would be to make a cheaper spinoff that would have some base support already from a succesful and great game. but despite all this, it was enjoyable.

I would have given the game a 6.0-6.5 if i werent into jrpgs but as a fan, i would give it a 7.5. Im usually pretty nice with games. especially since this is the only rpg i have on the wii and i play so little jrpgs that Tales of Symphonia is my favorite and being a transient gamer/ multiplayer guy/ sheep become hermit for my old system wars lingo which i havent used in years :D, me finishing it twice or three times even WITH a strategy guide is saying a HELL lot about it. I cant even finish Dragon age, any other tales of games, star ocean.... dont even think i got half way (though dragon age i do want to finish) so ya, take this into consideration but if you are a fan of the original, this is a decent sequel. Nice to know your buddies are doing well after the sorta abrupt end in the first one

I really enjoyed Tales of Symphonia 1 on the GameCube. I'm curious in terms of polish, effort, etc how different is Tales of Symphonia 2 compared to the original. If it's about the same then that's okay with. If it's better even in small ways that's fine as well.

Or is it actually worse in any way?

NeoStar9

I am ashamed to admit that I have never played the original. But as a long time RPG vet, I was very impressed with Dawn of the New World. I found all of the characters (new and old) very interesting, and the dialogue and voice acting to be excellent. I enjoyed the combat, though it can sometimes get into a button mashing affair, there are plenty of combos to switch it up. The OST is usually mesmorizing, though can get a little repetitive sometimes. The difficulty is enjoyable, providing a fair challenge but not calling for hours of grinding everytime you reach a a new area. The monster system is pretty diverse, and can get kind of addicting once you start getting into the really powerful monsters. I absolutely loved the story. Sometimes it seemed to drag on, but very rarely, and not enough for any resentment to grow. It's interesting, and has several exciting plot twists.

Maybe I'm just easy to please when it comes to RPG's, but I heartily recommend you buy it.

[QUOTE="NeoStar9"]

I really enjoyed Tales of Symphonia 1 on the GameCube. I'm curious in terms of polish, effort, etc how different is Tales of Symphonia 2 compared to the original. If it's about the same then that's okay with. If it's better even in small ways that's fine as well.

Or is it actually worse in any way?

Khadaj32

I am ashamed to admit that I have never played the original. But as a long time RPG vet, I was very impressed with Dawn of the New World. I found all of the characters (new and old) very interesting, and the dialogue and voice acting to be excellent. I enjoyed the combat, though it can sometimes get into a button mashing affair, there are plenty of combos to switch it up. The OST is usually mesmorizing, though can get a little repetitive sometimes. The difficulty is enjoyable, providing a fair challenge but not calling for hours of grinding everytime you reach a a new area. The monster system is pretty diverse, and can get kind of addicting once you start getting into the really powerful monsters. I absolutely loved the story. Sometimes it seemed to drag on, but very rarely, and not enough for any resentment to grow. It's interesting, and has several exciting plot twists.

Maybe I'm just easy to please when it comes to RPG's, but I heartily recommend you buy it.

you found the voice acting excellent :O ?

but ya, i cant disagree in comparison to nearly EVERY OTHER game out there... but i cant believe you found it excellent. I've seen flash animations that have better voice acting than a majority of the games out there :P

one thing i want to see improved in like every rpg i've played (at least the ones that are translated into english) is better voice acting.

[QUOTE="Khadaj32"]

[QUOTE="NeoStar9"]

I really enjoyed Tales of Symphonia 1 on the GameCube. I'm curious in terms of polish, effort, etc how different is Tales of Symphonia 2 compared to the original. If it's about the same then that's okay with. If it's better even in small ways that's fine as well.

Or is it actually worse in any way?

bionicle_lover

I am ashamed to admit that I have never played the original. But as a long time RPG vet, I was very impressed with Dawn of the New World. I found all of the characters (new and old) very interesting, and the dialogue and voice acting to be excellent. I enjoyed the combat, though it can sometimes get into a button mashing affair, there are plenty of combos to switch it up. The OST is usually mesmorizing, though can get a little repetitive sometimes. The difficulty is enjoyable, providing a fair challenge but not calling for hours of grinding everytime you reach a a new area. The monster system is pretty diverse, and can get kind of addicting once you start getting into the really powerful monsters. I absolutely loved the story. Sometimes it seemed to drag on, but very rarely, and not enough for any resentment to grow. It's interesting, and has several exciting plot twists.

Maybe I'm just easy to please when it comes to RPG's, but I heartily recommend you buy it.

you found the voice acting excellent :O ?

but ya, i cant disagree in comparison to nearly EVERY OTHER game out there... but i cant believe you found it excellent. I've seen flash animations that have better voice acting than a majority of the games out there :P

one thing i want to see improved in like every rpg i've played (at least the ones that are translated into english) is better voice acting.

Yes, I found the voice acting to be excellent. It didn't sound tinny, or robotic. It sounded believable, that the voice actors were playing their parts according to their characters well. That's really the only criteria I need to view voice acting as excellent.

Yes, I found the voice acting to be excellent. It didn't sound tinny, or robotic.

Khadaj32

Neostar, it's a direct sequel taking place a couple of years after the first game. All the main characters of the first game make an apprearance. [QUOTE="Khadaj32"]

Yes, I found the voice acting to be excellent. It didn't sound tinny, or robotic.

Aero5555

*shrug* Your opinion. I enjoyed it.

[QUOTE="bionicle_lover"]

[QUOTE="Khadaj32"]

I am ashamed to admit that I have never played the original. But as a long time RPG vet, I was very impressed with Dawn of the New World. I found all of the characters (new and old) very interesting, and the dialogue and voice acting to be excellent. I enjoyed the combat, though it can sometimes get into a button mashing affair, there are plenty of combos to switch it up. The OST is usually mesmorizing, though can get a little repetitive sometimes. The difficulty is enjoyable, providing a fair challenge but not calling for hours of grinding everytime you reach a a new area. The monster system is pretty diverse, and can get kind of addicting once you start getting into the really powerful monsters. I absolutely loved the story. Sometimes it seemed to drag on, but very rarely, and not enough for any resentment to grow. It's interesting, and has several exciting plot twists.

Maybe I'm just easy to please when it comes to RPG's, but I heartily recommend you buy it.

Khadaj32

you found the voice acting excellent :O ?

but ya, i cant disagree in comparison to nearly EVERY OTHER game out there... but i cant believe you found it excellent. I've seen flash animations that have better voice acting than a majority of the games out there :P

one thing i want to see improved in like every rpg i've played (at least the ones that are translated into english) is better voice acting.

Yes, I found the voice acting to be excellent. It didn't sound tinny, or robotic. It sounded believable, that the voice actors were playing their parts according to their characters well. That's really the only criteria I need to view voice acting as excellent.

well... ya i guess so. guess my standards are different ... but i dunno, after playing the first, a lot of the voice acting seemed pretty generic and roboty to me some of the angry parts just didnt fly with me. felt they kinda lacked intensity. i had the feeling to laugh. but, ill admit it wasnt insufferable... but i just have to interject one more time to say that the change in voice actors really bothered me and broke me heart

People seem to either love or hate Tales of Symphonia 2. I loved it. Despite its corniness, I felt that the relationship between Emil and Marta (the two main characters), which evolves over the course of the entire game, was one of the most genuinely heartwarming sights in a long time. As I said elsewhere, I honestly wanted the two to be happy by the end of the game, despite the fact that in the back of my head was buried the knowledge that this was just a video game I was playing. Although the voice acting was a little corny at times, I felt that it still got the job done, and that complaints about it are overblown.

The one thing that one will have to get used to, though, is the fact that Emil and Marta are really the only two characters that one will likely actually choose to play as. Although the characters from the original game (sans Kratos) do make appearances and join your party, their levels don't increase, which means that it's kind of a waste to use them in battle. Instead, you can recruit monsters to fight alongside you - monsters who can even evolve like Pokemon - which I thought was a very effective system. Still, if you're wanting to play ToS2 to take control of Lloyd and the gang just like old times, you might be disappointed.

I don't know. Both seems great. I'm playing Tales Of Symphonia 2 right now, and i think it's great.

Wait. How is it a spin off when it takes place after Tales of Symphonia 1 and it still has the same combat system as the original (this is the case right)? How is that a spin off and not actually a sequel to the original?NeoStar9

i keep on calling it a spinoff because i remember it being referred to as that in the nintendo power interview a few years ago :P maybe i have bad memory but its just that you dont play as the original characters... you use them as like allies every once in a while. im not actually sure what a spinoff is. :D a quick wikipedia search (i know it isnt completely legit ) says its a spinoff. but whatever :P sorry for any confusion

People seem to either love or hate Tales of Symphonia 2. I loved it. Despite its corniness, I felt that the relationship between Emil and Marta (the two main characters), which evolves over the course of the entire game, was one of the most genuinely heartwarming sights in a long time. As I said elsewhere, I honestly wanted the two to be happy by the end of the game, despite the fact that in the back of my head was buried the knowledge that this was just a video game I was playing. Although the voice acting was a little corny at times, I felt that it still got the job done, and that complaints about it are overblown.

The one thing that one will have to get used to, though, is the fact that Emil and Marta are really the only two characters that one will likely actually choose to play as. Although the characters from the original game (sans Kratos) do make appearances and join your party, their levels don't increase. Instead, you can recruit monsters to fight alongside you - monsters who can even evolve like Pokemon - which I thought was a very effective system. Still, if you're wanting to play ToS2 to take control of Lloyd and the gang just like old times, you might be disappointed.

GabuEx

Well said. I also greatly enjoyed the little dialogue events portrayed by the character portraits. Some were touching, and others were very funny, especially the ones focused on Tenebrae.

People seem to either love or hate Tales of Symphonia 2. I loved it. Despite its corniness, I felt that the relationship between Emil and Marta (the two main characters), which evolves over the course of the entire game, was one of the most genuinely heartwarming sights in a long time. As I said elsewhere, I honestly wanted the two to be happy by the end of the game, despite the fact that in the back of my head was buried the knowledge that this was just a video game I was playing. Although the voice acting was a little corny at times, I felt that it still got the job done, and that complaints about it are overblown.

The one thing that one will have to get used to, though, is the fact that Emil and Marta are really the only two characters that one will likely actually choose to play as. Although the characters from the original game (sans Kratos) do make appearances and join your party, their levels don't increase, which means that it's kind of a waste to use them in battle. Instead, you can recruit monsters to fight alongside you - monsters who can even evolve like Pokemon - which I thought was a very effective system. Still, if you're wanting to play ToS2 to take control of Lloyd and the gang just like old times, you might be disappointed.

GabuEx

[spoiler] he does make an appearance, even if it is like half a minute :D XD XP :P... man i was so disappointed [/spoiler]

[QUOTE="GabuEx"]

People seem to either love or hate Tales of Symphonia 2. I loved it. Despite its corniness, I felt that the relationship between Emil and Marta (the two main characters), which evolves over the course of the entire game, was one of the most genuinely heartwarming sights in a long time. As I said elsewhere, I honestly wanted the two to be happy by the end of the game, despite the fact that in the back of my head was buried the knowledge that this was just a video game I was playing. Although the voice acting was a little corny at times, I felt that it still got the job done, and that complaints about it are overblown.

The one thing that one will have to get used to, though, is the fact that Emil and Marta are really the only two characters that one will likely actually choose to play as. Although the characters from the original game (sans Kratos) do make appearances and join your party, their levels don't increase. Instead, you can recruit monsters to fight alongside you - monsters who can even evolve like Pokemon - which I thought was a very effective system. Still, if you're wanting to play ToS2 to take control of Lloyd and the gang just like old times, you might be disappointed.

Khadaj32

Well said. I also greatly enjoyed the little dialogue events portrayed by the character portraits. Some were touching, and others were very funny, especially the ones focused on Tenebrae.

actually, it has been a while since i played it and i guess i was making it sound like i really hated the acting, but i like your guy's points here. the relationship between the two really surprised me with how much i actually wanted them to end up together. it was actually quite charming. and, i guess i want to clarify but my beef with the voice acting isnt with the two main characters. though annoying at times, it was quite charming at other times as well... i was just really annoyed by some of the supporting casts' voices. though, i played a fun little game where i replaced some of the corny as hell dialogue with more realistic cursing :D thank you american pop culture.

(spoiler which GameSpot won't let me quote)

bionicle_lover

[spoiler] You mean as the narrator, or as Kratos? I don't remember Kratos ever appearing in the game. [/spoiler]

[QUOTE="Khadaj32"]

[QUOTE="GabuEx"]

People seem to either love or hate Tales of Symphonia 2. I loved it. Despite its corniness, I felt that the relationship between Emil and Marta (the two main characters), which evolves over the course of the entire game, was one of the most genuinely heartwarming sights in a long time. As I said elsewhere, I honestly wanted the two to be happy by the end of the game, despite the fact that in the back of my head was buried the knowledge that this was just a video game I was playing. Although the voice acting was a little corny at times, I felt that it still got the job done, and that complaints about it are overblown.

The one thing that one will have to get used to, though, is the fact that Emil and Marta are really the only two characters that one will likely actually choose to play as. Although the characters from the original game (sans Kratos) do make appearances and join your party, their levels don't increase. Instead, you can recruit monsters to fight alongside you - monsters who can even evolve like Pokemon - which I thought was a very effective system. Still, if you're wanting to play ToS2 to take control of Lloyd and the gang just like old times, you might be disappointed.

bionicle_lover

Well said. I also greatly enjoyed the little dialogue events portrayed by the character portraits. Some were touching, and others were very funny, especially the ones focused on Tenebrae.

actually, it has been a while since i played it and i guess i was making it sound like i really hated the acting, but i like your guy's points here. the relationship between the two really surprised me with how much i actually wanted them to end up together. it was actually quite charming. and, i guess i want to clarify but my beef with the voice acting isnt with the two main characters. though annoying at times, it was quite charming at other times as well... i was just really annoyed by some of the supporting casts' voices. though, i played a fun little game where i replaced some of the corny as hell dialogue with more realistic cursing :D thank you american pop culture.

Indeed, watching their relationship grow was very interesting, and well written. Haven't been so engaged by the romantic relationship of two people in a game since Final Fantasy X. Another thing I don't get with the common criticisms of Tales 2 - Emil. Almost everyone says he's a pointless hero, he's annoying, useless, worst gaming hero of all time. How? His personality is a timid one, and it's played perfectly. It was a perfect balance to "Ratatosk Mode" as well, making for a very interesting character. Of course, those of you who have played it know what happens down the line, which coincides well with Emil's personality. I liked the guy.

[QUOTE="bionicle_lover"]

(spoiler which GameSpot won't let me quote)

GabuEx

(can't quote either :'(

[spoiler] kratos appeared in like ghost form talking to yuan while emil was walking in the background :P you know, i cant even remember if it was him in a ghost projection form or just his voice, but he does say something about son and lloyd so i know he's in there in some shape or form. like i said, something that was really disappointing... and he the conversation was basically him admitting he would never come back... now my ideas for another sequel/ spinoff are ruined:cry: [/spoiler]

Indeed, watching their relationship grow was very interesting, and well written. Haven't been so engaged by the romantic relationship of two people in a game since Final Fantasy X. Another thing I don't get with the common criticisms of Tales 2 - Emil. Almost everyone says he's a pointless hero, he's annoying, useless, worst gaming hero of all time. How? His personality is a timid one, and it's played perfectly. It was a perfect balance to "Ratatosk Mode" as well, making for a very interesting character. Of course, those of you who have played it know what happens down the line, which coincides well with Emil's personality. I liked the guy.

Khadaj32

i wasnt a big fan of the whole ratatosk mode, but it was really nice seeing a main character that is a coward and progresses on to be a man (just needs to hit some puberty :D) like i said, i dont play many rpgs but not in many rpgs or even any tv shows i watch is the MAIN CHARACTER timid like he is... at least not a boy who is supposed to be adventurous/stupid/immature/obnoxious ... and his whole backstory is kinda cool. not going to spoil this part cause it really is a big part of the story for any other posters who havent played the game yet... reminds me a little bit of tales of the abyss but i hated those characters and never finished the game XP