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Tales of Berseria Import Thread

Aeana

Member
Shopping system is a means to an end. It didn't directly affect combat. Only the numbers if you bought OP weapons at the time but even then it was limited by the amt of currency you can get. In zestiria the skill system which was shit had a direct impact on your combat capability and was prevalent from beginning to end. the skill system in zesty was dogshit.
I don't disagree with anything you're saying about Zestiria. I just disagree that it's dramatically worse than the Xillia games. I don't find the Lilial Orb system to be particularly compelling either, especially the Xillia 2 version of it. Actually, the version in 1 commits the sin of the illusion of choice which bothers me quite a bit. You think you have control over which abilities your characters are learning, but in the end you unlock most cells on the way to unlocking what you wanted anyway.
 
Eh, I was on the side that really liked Zesty. I thought it was a significant return to form in world design and the like. Its world map and travel had issues to be sure, but it was the first one since Vesperia that felt even remotely ambitious or engaging to me. Combat was fun once you get past the jank, though aux systems were overcomplicated and a bit shit. Side effect of the unfortunate decision to throw every system from every recent game (anniversary title!) together. In general it was my favorite since Vesperia. Loved the cast and music, thought story was aight and gameplay was fun if not a bit messy.

Berseria's cast and story interest me, but I played the demo recently and it was enough to make me decide that I'll just wait for the English PC release. I was planning on importing, but the demo really did not excite me and the new battle system felt like a bit of a mess.
 
I don't disagree with anything you're saying about Zestiria. I just disagree that it's dramatically worse than the Xillia games. I don't find the Lilial Orb system to be particularly compelling either, especially the Xillia 2 version of it. Actually, the version in 1 commits the sin of the illusion of choice which bothers me quite a bit. You think you have control over which abilities your characters are learning, but in the end you unlock most cells on the way to unlocking what you wanted anyway.

The Allium Orb system in Xillia 2 is terrible. Especially since in my second playthrough I just equipped Alvin/Gaius with 2x and 1x everything and I soon had every skill with no thought put in. Really poor.
 

Cruixant

Member
Great OT, as always!

My expectations are at the lowest ever after Zestiria, so we'll see how it goes. I'll probably also stay away from the thread until my copy arrives.
 

kayos90

Tragic victim of fan death
I don't disagree with anything you're saying about Zestiria. I just disagree that it's dramatically worse than the Xillia games. I don't find the Lilial Orb system to be particularly compelling either, especially the Xillia 2 version of it. Actually, the version in 1 commits the sin of the illusion of choice which bothers me quite a bit. You think you have control over which abilities your characters are learning, but in the end you unlock most cells on the way to unlocking what you wanted anyway.

I never understood this argument. The idea is so misguided. It's not about what you get in the end. The idea of customization isn't always to completely block out some investments you made to a character's growth. There's a ton of great RPGs where you have the ability to get all skills and stats and there are great RPGs where you are locked out of certain stuff because of the choices you made. The idea that the Lilium and the Allium Orb sucks because you can get everything is idiotic. It's about the decisions you make at that point and time and the method to getting to the endpoint that matters. Not the end. The idea that the ends dictate a customization feature is a perspective that people have crafted to give "superiority" because people really made a "choice" by locking stuff out. Making a choice isn't binary such as "locking stuff out" and "getting everything."
 

Aeana

Member
I never understood this argument. The idea is so misguided. It's not about what you get in the end. The idea of customization isn't always to completely block out some investments you made to a character's growth. There's a ton of great RPGs where you have the ability to get all skills and stats and there are great RPGs where you are locked out of certain stuff because of the choices you made. The idea that the Lilium and the Allium Orb sucks because you can get everything is idiotic. It's about the decisions you make at that point and time and the method to getting to the endpoint that matters. Not the end. The idea that the ends dictate a customization feature is a perspective that people have crafted to give "superiority" because people really made a "choice" by locking stuff out. Making a choice isn't binary such as "locking stuff out" and "getting everything."
It's not because you can get everything, it's that getting everything is automatic. I didn't say a single word about locking stuff out. What I'm talking about is how you don't have to make any real decisions about the points you spend. The only difference between this and something like FF13's completely linear crystarium for instance is presentation. They might as will just award abilities automatically at level up.
 

kayos90

Tragic victim of fan death
It's not because you can get everything, it's that getting everything is automatic. I didn't say a single word about locking stuff out. What I'm talking about is how you don't have to make any real decisions about the points you spend. The only difference between this and something like FF13's completely linear crystarium for instance is presentation. They might as will just award abilities automatically at level up.

How is it automatic? I might be making some dumb assumptions.

Also, in regards to the lock out, you pretty much imply that your complaint is that you get everything. If that's the case then isn't the complaint that you can get everything? I mean you say this: "but in the end you unlock most cells on the way to unlocking what you wanted anyway." I feel like it's pretty much implied.
 

Dolgan

Member
I thought Zestiria was the best of the last 3 Tales games and I ended up enjoying it all the way to the end. Not a great game, but characters, story and battle system just kind of clicked with me.

Characters, story and gameplay sound interesting, so I'm looking forward to (hopefully positive) impressions.
 

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
is zesteria really that bad? I played up until xillia 2 and consider Vesperia(PS3 especially) the best with Xillia 2 somewhat up there.

I have access to TOZ but maybe I should avoid it.

Have only put around 4 hours into Zestiria myself, but its alright in the beginning. Kind of like the large open environs and it looks pleasing so far.

Major issues early on are the poor battle camera(behind the back now) which obscures so much of the combat making tracking enemy animations for reactions difficult, especially with the complete fireworks show is also happening around you, I just feel blinded and wish that Iit was easier to parse out what the fuck is going on.

Largest complaint among the community is the equipment system which has you learning skills directly from weapons/armor. Conceptually sound, but the execution seems really terrible with a whole glyph grid to be mindful of that I still don't feel comfortable tinkering with, plus the nature of the somewhat RNG focus on armor/weapons seemingly having unique properties makes the micromanagement of all of this appear way too overwrought and tedious. It's by far the largest slam against the game.

Other popular complaints involve the characters, boring and bland dungeons(basic corridor mazes), and the story not really doing much for many. I'm too early in to really comment on these issues yet myself though.
 
No.

People like to act like if the game killed their parents.

It actually is much more than beareable to say the least. If it clicks with you you will enjoy the most inmersive Tales, one of the most creative system wise, and an unpretentious story about a ancient story geek becoming Tales of Jesus with a great cast and excellent music.

It's not perfect but it is not bad.It's far from mediocre as well.

The thing with Zestiria is that it is just more of the same (perhaps a little less competent than usual) in a series that is desperate for more exciting plots, scores and battle systems. While Zestiria isn't necessarily worse than the other games, it most certainly crossed the line at which it should've brought more to the table than it did. It's the textbook definition of bland.

People criticized SO 5 a lot but it still shits from great heights on Tales of-battle systems regarding sub-systems, responsiveness and speed. Graces f was so close, though.
 
How is it automatic? I might be making some dumb assumptions.

Also, in regards to the lock out, you pretty much imply that your complaint is that you get everything. If that's the case then isn't the complaint that you can get everything? I mean you say this: "but in the end you unlock most cells on the way to unlocking what you wanted anyway." I feel like it's pretty much implied.

I think the complaint in this case is you basically have to get everything anyway. The fact that you get everything doesn't matter so much as that you are forced to get most things. It isn't much of a choice of what you pick, what what 1 or 2 things you ignore so you can grab the better stuff earlier. I had the same issue where it felt like the system could have been replaced with getting a skill at certain levels and it would make no real difference. That is why it presents an illusion of choice.
 

kayos90

Tragic victim of fan death
I think the complaint in this case is you basically have to get everything anyway. The fact that you get everything doesn't matter so much as that you are forced to get most things. It isn't much of a choice of what you pick, what what 1 or 2 things you ignore so you can grab the better stuff earlier. I had the same issue where it felt like the system could have been replaced with getting a skill at certain levels and it would make no real difference. That is why it presents an illusion of choice.

Do you mean to progress to the next Lilium Orb layer? I guess that's a complaint but you're still making a conscious choice as to how you're progressing. This still becomes an argument about how the means are just as important as the ends.
 

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
When are they going to make a tales game online co-op?? I want to play tales with my bro but shareplay isn't good enough.

Doubtful if ever.

How would the game track the non-host's progression? I suppose if Bamco are willing to dedicate hefty resources to servers and all the other OH costs just to have someone join another random players game, it would be entirely at the behest of the host's experience they could make it happen. But to serve whom? The miniscule few that are able to align schedules to join each others game knowing only a sole participant would gain? This concept works for local co-op play as the nature of gathering friends and/or family to participate on the couch in a single household with pick-up/play hooks make more sense(and has been in the series). But this isn't justifiable at all for an online gathering unless the entire scope of the game shifts to something that isn't primarily a solo-driven narrative journey.
 
Apparently
it's revealed that Zestiria and Berseria might be taking place in the same universe as Phantasia and Symphonia lol
Need more details please.

Edit

Suddenly realised that this universe suddenly have a
boring game toz
now. =( Even
Dotnw
was more interesting to me.

Suddenly feeling like playing
Top
again, NB should port it
again
to the PS4,3DS or NX or something.
 

Nohar

Member
I really hope this new game will restore Tales of' image. Ever since Vesperia (depending on opinions), the series seem to have fallen from grace. This would be the game that make me buy a PS4 if it turns out to be good.

... Well, since it will be released on PC, I guess I'll just stick to upgrading it.
 

Heyt

Banned
The thing with Zestiria is that it is just more of the same (perhaps a little less competent than usual) in a series that is desperate for more exciting plots, scores and battle systems.

Weirdly enough, I think ToZ have a lot of new systems that shake things up (regardless of how sucessful they are) to make me think it is "more of the same" gameplay wise.

The plot felt really different from usual Tales of. I think that keeping the medieval fantasy focus all the way through in a landscape of JRPG that thow extange technology in with the fantasy setting or that are straight-up futuristic or based on reality makes it feel bolder and more unique right now. I was a thowback to older times in the genre I appreciate.

The plot also is very different from most Tales, getting rid of fluff and typical elements like like romatic interest subplots, treason among the party, racial undertones, duality of worlds among others. Throws many things that have been a staple in many the serie's plots and delivers something more simple plot that along with the other elemnts reminds me more of Dragon Quest than Tales. Given how few DQ releases tend to be over here I really value that.

I also like the strong directoion Zestirias has and how the scenario is reflected on the battle mecanics. It makes it feel more soild and inmersive and that has value.

That's not saying the plot is as good as any DQ or that it doesn't have issues - it has a lot and the DLC is terrible. But there is stuff that is very cool and enjoyable about it.

While Zestiria isn't necessarily worse than the other games, it most certainly crossed the line at which it should've brought more to the table than it did. It's the textbook definition of bland.

From my point of view I don't think it had to do more. One of the things I like of it as well is that is very ambitious and the people behind hit were clearly very passionate about it. The issue is, as many pointed out -is no secrett- polish and wrapping up. If Namco had given the team 6 more months I'm sure most people's opinion on this game would be very different as it would be the game itself. Namco could have perfectly have done this -the actual anniversary was still quite distant at the time of the japanese release after all- but sadly the pulisher keeps not giving the people in charge of making the games enough resources to complete their vision in all areas.
 

Aeana

Member
How is it automatic? I might be making some dumb assumptions.

Also, in regards to the lock out, you pretty much imply that your complaint is that you get everything. If that's the case then isn't the complaint that you can get everything? I mean you say this: "but in the end you unlock most cells on the way to unlocking what you wanted anyway." I feel like it's pretty much implied.
I implied no such thing. I don't have any issue with being able to get everything. I meant precisely what I said: on the way to unlocking that one cell on the far right of the board that you want, you end up filling in the stuff all around it because of the way the contiguous unlocks work. Add to that the required unlocks to reach the next layer and then you've gotten almost every cell on each layer regardless of whether you wanted them in the first place. So you think you're making conscious decisions about your character growth, but at each step, you pretty much have the same abilities as any other person who had different goals.
 

Ydelnae

Member
Need more details please.

Edit

Suddenly realised that this universe suddenly have a
boring game toz
now. =( Even
Dotnw
was more interesting to me.

Suddenly feeling like playing
Top
again, NB should port it
again
to the PS4,3DS or NX or something.

Eizen has a Derris Kharlan coin with a Dhaos symbol on it. Dhaos is referenced as a demon lord. Laphicet mentions that Dhaos and the goddess Martel appear in history books.
 

RangerBAD

Member
Anyone have experience with DHL in the US when shipping from Japan? Specifically North-East Texas. I need to confirm my AmiAmi order for the game, but now they have DHL and I don't know how that compares to EMS.

I just stuck with EMS. Maybe next time, but it was expensive this time around at $93. I guess the yen strengthened?
 

Zankou

Member
Started downlaoading, but I already used all of my monthly data volume and the speed got cut to under 1%, meh. Have to wait until friday to finish downloading at home where I have unlimited high speed internet.

The bar is sitting at 59%. So close...
 

Fou-Lu

Member
I am definitely not importing and probably am not even day one for NA release. I haven't been able to bring myself to even beat the last three Tales games when it used to be one of my favourite series, so I don't have high hopes. I am still interested in impressions though!
 
hrm.. looks like it can't be purchased via the web store.. at least not currently. no shopping cart icon.

edit -

Looking around it seems like they stop allowing digital purchase until the store updates.. so if you didn't pre-order digitally you have to wait until the store updates normally.
 
Hoping this is good! I loved Zestiria and it is probably one of my favourite in the series, so I am really hoping Berseria will be great too.

I wish I can say I'm participating in this thread but Zestiria burned me way too much for me to import. There's no way i can guarantee that the quality will be even decent anymore after the the shittiness of Zestiria.



What the fuck koolaid are you drinking?

He is doing the exact opposite of what your doing. You hate it way too much lol, you have to calm down a little.
 
I'm pretty interested in how this will be received by the fanbase.

Zestiria was actually the straw that broke the camel's back IMO and made me almost completely lose interest in the series. I'll probably get Berseria if it's better but not day one. Gave the series too many chances, all for nothing.

Yeah, that's where I am as well. My interest in the Tales series has pretty much died with Zestiria, I lost any remaining hope that they have what it takes to turn the ship around again.

Maybe Berseria is actually somewhat of a return to form, but after the Xillias and Zestiria I just don't feel like giving Tales another chance.
Same boat here. I 'm always hoping the franchise returns to glory, but I doubt it greatly.
 
o_O, where'd you read that at?
EDIT: Found the reference, possible major spoilers obviously: https://twitter.com/Sourenga/status/765624183359438848

I'm thinking it might just be a reference or nod, but it would be kinda interesting if that was the case.

Can someone translate the picture in here? https://twitter.com/Sourenga/status/765623687437545472

That chunk of Katakana at the start is "Aifread" I can't read the rest.

I think the book thing is just a reference- there's a statue of Gaius in Zestiria that has a skit about it and everything, but no one has claimed that game and Xillia are connected.
 

BluWacky

Member
That chunk of Katakana at the start is "Aifread" I can't read the rest.

The text has nothing to do with ToP, it's just dialogue about the Aifread Pirate Crew's first mate being weirdly superstitious. Given that there is an Aifread of some sort in almost every Tales game, this is not exactly spoilersville.
 
Only Tales game I played fully is Tales of Vesperia. I put like 30'ish hours into Tales of the Abyss on 3DS and I got fed up. Story was so bad and I HATED having to hold a button for free movement mode.

Berseria better be the spiritual successor to ToV.
 
Only Tales game I played fully is Tales of Vesperia. I put like 30'ish hours into Tales of the Abyss on 3DS and I got fed up. Story was so bad and I HATED having to hold a button for free movement mode.

Berseria better be the spiritual successor to ToV.
Abyss is older than Vesperia (and the first game with free run iirc) so that's why the combat was worse :p

Story will probably be hit or miss if recent games are an indication though.
 

Mohasus

Member
Only Tales game I played fully is Tales of Vesperia. I put like 30'ish hours into Tales of the Abyss on 3DS and I got fed up. Story was so bad and I HATED having to hold a button for free movement mode.

Berseria better be the spiritual successor to ToV.

Abyss' story is better than those of recent Tales games.
 
Abyss' story is better than those of recent Tales games.

How far into a play through is
Akezriuth
usually? (I probably butchered that)

If they stopped before then, I can see why someone would rage quit. Even if they didn't, it might've been too little too late?
 
How far into a play through is
Akezriuth
usually? (I probably butchered that)

If they stopped before then, I can see why someone would rage quit. Even if they didn't, it might've been too little too late?
That's about 10 hours, so if they played 30 they were either really slow, or the game just wasn't for them.

30h is around when the game starts getting backtrack heavy, and I think you visit
radiation gate, or absorption, can't remember

I loved The Abyss, so I hope Berseria is a return to that type of form.
 

Lynx_7

Member
I hope Berseria is well received. Tales is one of these series I tried getting into a few times but my experiences have been rather lukewarm. I beat Abyss and felt it dragged on too much and wasn't a fan of its cast. Story wasn't particularly engaging either, and the battle system was fine but nothing to write home about. Phantasia I've only played a few hours and thought it was alright but it didn't really hold my interest all that much. I've bought Xillia 1 and 2, Graces F and Symphonia HD on sales but the mixed opinions on the first 3 are a little discouraging and I'm a bit reluctant to start Symphonia if it just ends up being like Abyss
(an older title highly regarded by the fanbase but only around a 7 for me)
. I wish Vesperia was within my grasp since it's the Tales game that interests me most but I don't own a 360 and have zero interest in importing a japanese ps3 copy. If only Namco wasn't so awful at making their older titles readily available.

Which is why I'm interested in reading opinions on Berseria. Perhaps a good modern entry is what I need to get into in the series so I'll be following this thread.
 

Despera

Banned
It's been almost exactly 8 years since the last good Tales of game.

I'm not holding my breath for this one but I'll admit that I'm slightly intrigued. Looking forward to the impressions.
 

Paltheos

Member
I'm pretty interested in how this will be received by the fanbase.

Zestiria was actually the straw that broke the camel's back IMO and made me almost completely lose interest in the series. I'll probably get Berseria if it's better but not day one. Gave the series too many chances, all for nothing.

The reactions are so polarizing on this one. For its many flaws, Zestiria's such a vibrant game it brought me back in after the lukewarm expereince I had with Xillia.
 

djtiesto

is beloved, despite what anyone might say
Reading the story and seeing those images, it actually sounds like a bit of a breath of fresh air for the series. I haven't played Xillia 1, 2 or Zestiria yet so I'm a bit more bullish on the series than most people it seems.
 
The people that are _still_ clamoring for Vesperia PS3 would be in for a surprise.

IMO Vesperia suffered from an uneven pacing, a very slow battle system, a bland ost, a horrible fetch quest towards the end and a mixed cast. So basically it's like every modern tales game ever. But I guess it has better graphics, dungeons and....Yuri. But other than that it's not the holy cow that some people make themselves believe.
 
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