2025 signifies the 30th anniversary of Bandai Namco’s cherished “Tales of” series, and it seems they plan to commemorate this milestone in a grand manner. The impending launch of Tales of Graces F Remaster on January 16 kickstarts the Tales Remastered Project, a mission dedicated to refreshingly upgrade Tales games on a consistent basis. Being a long-time fan who fell in love with the series when I rented Tales of Symphonia for GameCube, and then went on to acquire every officially localized title plus some imports as well, this initiative to remaster and safeguard my beloved games brings immense happiness.
After upgrading Graces, here’s a list of my top 5 Tales games that I’d be thrilled to see receive an upgrade:
1. Tales of Symphonia (2003)
2. Tales of Vesperia (2008)
3. Tales of Xillia (2011)
4. Tales of Graces F (2011)
5. Tales of Zestiria (2015)
The List
Special Entry – Any of the Tales the West Never Got
I’d like to be completely upfront with you: If I hadn’t combined untranslated Tales of games into a single entry, this list might only feature previously untranslated Tales games. Despite my eagerness to replay some of my favorite RPGs on contemporary platforms and let new players discover them for the first time, my priority lies in filling the gaps for those main series titles we never received localization for first.
I’m absolutely thrilled that Bandai Namco is venturing into the process of rejuvenating this iconic series, a journey that many of their counterparts started years ago, with Square Enix and Tri-Ace leading the way on the Star Ocean series. If the universe allowed it, my dream scenario for this ‘Tales Remastered Project’ would be to see these omitted titles included: Tales of Rebirth, Tales of Innocence R, Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Destiny Director’s Cut, and Tales of the Tempest. In an ideal world, I’d love for these games to be released in a manner similar to their original versions, allowing us to relive the experiences as they were first played, rather than full-scale remakes. That said, I would endorse remakes too – I just want to enjoy these games!
Tales of Hearts R
I can’t help but be deeply fond of my PlayStation Vita, despite some questionable choices made by Sony that ultimately led to its downfall. Despite its struggles, there’s one aspect that kept me hooked – it provided Western players with an exclusive Tales game in Tales of Hearts R. This game, a remake of Tales of Hearts on the Nintendo DS, was launched in 2014 and introduced us to Kohaku Hearts and Kor/Shing Meteor as they embarked on a journey to fix hearts and save their world.
Experiencing “Hearts R” from a devoted fan’s perspective, I was captivated by its Soma system that allowed for profound character customization, and combat-wise, it was swift and intense, even for a handheld Tales game. The majority of my journey was enjoyed on the big screen thanks to the PlayStation TV device, emphasizing the enhanced experience when playing with an actual controller.
Replaying this gem on contemporary systems with improved frame rate and resolution is something I yearn for. An official English dub would be the cherry on top, resolving Kor’s name inconsistency, which was always jarring considering the Japanese voices referred to him as “Shing.” A remaster could provide an ideal opportunity to rectify this issue.
Tales of Eternia
Originally titled “Tales of Eternia” in the West, this game was the second Tales series title we received in the United States back in 2001. The story revolves around characters Reid, Farrah, and Meredy, taking players on a thrilling journey across various worlds to prevent the impending Grand Fall event. Unfortunately, it was exclusive to the original PlayStation console, with UK players receiving a PSP port that wasn’t available in North America. To add insult to injury, due to the retro games price surge, a complete copy of this game can now cost over $200.
As a gaming enthusiast, I find the narrative and characters from Tales of Destiny more appealing compared to those in Eternia. However, for this particular list, I opted for Eternia because if there’s a remaster for Destiny, I’d prefer the PS2 remake, specifically the Destiny Director’s Cut, over the original PlayStation version. Moreover, Eternia has an edge as its protagonist, Reid, is voiced by none other than Kevin Miller, who lent his voice to Sly Cooper in the localized version. Nevertheless, it’s high time we see a remaster of one of the classic PSX games, whichever it may be, sooner rather than later.
Tales of Phantasia
The pioneer title that initiated the Tales series, known as the original or first-born, was Tales of Phantasia. This game made its debut on Super Famicom in Japan during December 1995. Regrettably, fans in the Western regions had to wait until 2006 for an official release, which came in the form of a Game Boy Advance port, but unfortunately, it didn’t offer the best experience.
I’m really hoping for an updated version of the Tales of Phantasia Cross game, which was initially offered with Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X on PSP and is based on the highly praised PSX edition. In this game, you take on the character of Cress/Cless Albane as you journey through time to combat the villain Dhaos. This game made a significant impact when it was first released and set many of the themes and tropes that the Tales series continues to use today. It’s quite possible that this game, out of all of them, might receive a complete remake rather than just a simple upgrade.
Reviving the original game that sparked the entire series could be an ideal method to honor 30 years of Tales, making it accessible and enjoyable for newer generations.
Bringing back the first game in the series would be a fantastic approach to mark 30 years of Tales, ensuring its appeal for newcomers as well.
Tales of the Abyss
Among my top three favorite installments of the series, “Tales from the Abyss” stands out with an exceptionally well-crafted character journey centered around Luke. This game brought significant advancements to the franchise, including the introduction of a more dynamic combat system – the Flex Range Linear Motion Battle System – and the innovative Free Run feature, which allowed players to navigate 3D battlefields at will for the first time.
Initially launched for the PlayStation 2, the game titled “Abyss” was later beautifully adapted for the Nintendo 3DS handheld console. However, it’s important to note that this portable version is almost 13 years old, while the original release dates back 20 years. This age makes it challenging to legally play either version conventionally. Fortunately, contrary to many other games on this list, the price of “Abyss” has not skyrocketed drastically.
I’d be thrilled with an easy visual enhancement and performance boost, but it would also be great to hear some fresh catchphrases from my beloved sarcastic military officer, Jade. Honestly, she’s amazing – not to mention the unique Pac-Man belt she sports!
Tales of Xillia Duology
In terms of its electrifying anime openings, the games Tales of Xillia and its subsequent sequel found themselves stuck in the Cell processor limitations of the PlayStation 3. However, Graces F was able to escape this predicament, so maybe Jude and his allies can too. These titles, launched in the West in 2013 and 2014, seem like a tribute to the series. They incorporate familiar elements such as multiple realms and summoning spirits, while also presenting fresh dynamics, such as depicting the narrative from two main characters’ viewpoints.
For years, whispers about a remastered version of Xillia have circulated, making it almost certain. I’m hoping that Bandai Namco will launch both games simultaneously, rather than just the first one, similar to how they handled the Symphonia remaster. Although I favor the original Xillia over its successor, both games warrant a remaster—and having them in a bundle would be perfect.
My fondness for the “Tales of” series runs deep, connected as it is to cherished memories. I made the decision to acquire an Xbox 360 solely for the purpose of playing “Tales of Vesperia,” and it was heartrending when a bug in my 60GB PlayStation 3 corrupted my “Abyss” PS2 game. My opportunity to write about games can be traced back to “Tales” as well, thanks to someone who shares the same passion for this series.
Currently, as I’m penning down these words, the “Tales of Graces F Remaster” hasn’t hit the shelves yet. Consequently, we are unaware of its quality at this point. Nevertheless, I harbor hopes that Bandai Namco has taken note from the less-than-satisfactory remaster of “Symphonia” in 2023. I am eagerly anticipating the future of the “Tales” series and the opportunity to revisit the origins of this longstanding franchise.
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2025-01-11 00:26