Excellent! Another Tales game for us to enjoy!
The beginning is almost breathtaking as players begin their journey in a small town filled with commoners. (Or it is also known as the lower quarters) and the water is flooding the ground because of a missing Blastia. When the folks seek help from Yuri, he heads up to the higher quarters and begins his search for the crystal. And from there begins a journey where new, unique characters work together on an adventure. At first it's about searching for Flynn but it becomes something more!
Characters:
The characters are very lovable, even the enemies, yes indeed! Yuri, though very sarcastic and feisty, is a kind-hearted person who goes out of his way to help out others. Then we have Estelle who is of royal blood and has a heart of gold as well. She only wants to help people. And along the journey you meet new characters, like Rita, Karol, Raven, and Judith. Some are mysterious and some are just out to improve themselves. One is even a feisty Blastia researcher! Of course, this game wouldn't be a Tales game if there wasn't a hilarious or perverted character! Overall the development wasn't as expected. Many of the characters improved along the journey, but a few were disappointing. However, every player of Tales will definitely find a favourite character in this game!
Music/Sound:
The music in Tales of Vesperia brings back good memories since it is similar to older releases. Perhaps it isn't as good as the songs in Tales of the Abyss or Tales of Symphonia, but the battle themes can be pretty catchy. Plus the opening song by Bonnie Pink is one of the best Tales opening songs ever! It's surprising when players state that they don't like Ring a Bell!
Graphics and battle:
Without a doubt, Tales of Vesperia has the best graphics (comparing it to all other Tales games). The characters are very clean and beautiful and the battles aren't laggy. Although it doesn't match up to Halo or Call of duty, it is still a gorgeous game. Everyone is very animated with full detail and the colours are absolutely amazing! The magic system has definitely improved and it's great that Estelle is both a sword user and a healer. It's rare in Tales games, but that's what makes Vesperia great!
Overall, it is an excellent and memorable game. Definitely worth playing, especially if you're a Tales fan. And it's great that RPGs like this and Eternal Sonata are appearing on Xbox360s! If gamers haven't played an RPG on an Xbox360 yet, they're missing out!