Tales of Symphonia

Look, I know that there hasnt been a good rpg on gamecube for a while now but that will soon change. If you like rpg games then youll love Tales of Symphonia. I for a matter of fact couldnt wait for it to come out cause its been so long since the last rpg game on gamecube. The last ones i can think of are christal chronicles (witch wasnt a true rpg game) but skys of arcadia legends (witch was more of an rpg.) Listen, if you like rpg games, I strongly suggest that you buy this game, you wont be dissapointed.

Tales of Symphonia, a game like no other for the Nintendo Gamecube. Seriously, there are so many unique features in this game that it should have it's own genre! Okay, but this reveiw isn't to butter you into buying this game, it's to inform you about it, so lets get crackin'!

STORY: The plot of Tales of Symphonia starts out like most other RPGs - Enter Lloyd Irving, a teenage swordsman. Along with his friend Genis, he must accompany The Chosen, an angelic girl named Colette, on her pilgrimage to save the world. Along the way, many characters will join and leave them as they help Colette save humanity.

CHARACTERS: The characters play a major role in Tales of Symphonia. Each is fully customizable, although they each have certain skills that imply which job they'd be best suited for. Although Lloyd is the default character, you can choose to control another if you so desire. I particularly like this, because the player can form their own customized battle style and character, whether it be strong Kratos, versitile Colette, or healer Genis. The characters also affect the plot as well. Depending on your realationships you forge with your fellow party members the plot and course of the game will change accordingly.

MULTIPLAYER CAPABILITIES: Another thing that seperates Tales of Symphonia from the rest of the RPG pack is the multiplayer capabilities. Unlike most other RPG games, you are able to battle on a team with three other friends who are each controlling a different character in your party, via the Nintendo GameCube controllers. So, instead of watching you play with a dull expression in their eyes, your buddies can get in on the action too.

GRAPHICS: Lovely cel-shaded graphics decorate the world of Tales of Symphonia. Characters are painted with vibrant colors and scenery is characterized with amazing detail. Cutscenes, however, make the game even more special when cel-shaded graphics become anime masterpieces. Yes, that's right, cutscenes are in anime, and characters are blessed with the voices of skilled actors (such as Tara Strong, Bubbles in Cartoon Network's The Powerpuff Girls, and Jennifer Hale, Prier in Mastiff's La Pucelle: Tactics.)

EXTRAS: Tales of Symphonia is lavished with goodies that only add to it's uniqueness. Characters are able to learn special recipes and cook meals for their friends. When a meal is cooked, you can see an anime cutscene of the rag-tag group devouring it hungrily. Also, a special Titles system is introduced with the creation of Tales of Symphonia. Players can earn special titles that enhance one aspect of their fighting style. Like, "Turbo Waitress" might increase Colette's speed, and "Defender" might increase Genis's defence.

All together, I think Tales of Symphonia will be a GREAT game. Take pride in adding it to you GameCube collection, because it surely will be what gamers will be talking about over the water heater.

I'll admit that the anime style of animation is a strong pet peeve of mine. The mouth movements never fit the dialect, the movements often seem choppy and sudden and the characters seem to be able to achieve many unrealistic things that most Disney characters would be faulted for. And yet, even after admitting my bias I can say that Tales of Symphonia overcame all of that.

I boycotted the game for the longest time simply because of the anime style used in game, and now I regret that I could have experienced this earlier. The plot is incredible not because of its uniqueness per se, but because it evolves as you play. Your friends will become your enemies, and vice versa, and almost every character introduced - even a couple very minor ones - are made real through the thought and detail put into their individual lives. Every character seems to have a history and a personal objective. The game and the world is continuously changing as well; after certain in game events, you'll find that world regions have changed or entire cities have been destroyed (or in the case of one, destroyed and then rebuilt even better - depending on how active a role you take in its reconstruction).

The battle system takes some getting used to but the versatility the player has makes it incredibly enjoyable. Not only can you control any of the eight characters, but even in the midst of battle you can switch your character of choice or command another's movements. The freedom presented to the character allows you to direct the entire battle every step of the way, or if you so choose, you could sit back and watch; allowing the computer to play it out for you. Certain events require certain characters to be in the party, and in many instances characters will leave your party for a time (or in the case of one; permanently) only to reappear later. It gives you the feeling that all your characters are on an equal footing and you don't just have one hero, like you will in most role-playing games.

One of the best features of the game is that it actually has replay value. Imagine that; an RPG in which you can control how it changes each time you replay it. Upon completion you can customize what will change - experienced gained can be doubled, enemy encounters can be more difficult, you can carry over weapons or combos learned, etc ... Furthermore depending on how you let your characters evolve they can learn a completely different move set, and gameplay can change too depending on the relationships you have with the other members of your party.

As an RPG it definitely stands tall, and I even began to appreciated the anime style used as the game progressed. The simpler animation style doesn't take away from the gameplay at all ... in fact it enhances it, allowing players to fully appreciate and enjoy the freedom they have. Tales of Symphonia is one of the most unique and original RPGs on the market, and in my case this game alone made the GameCube worth purchasing.