10) Tales of Graces f (2012)

Originally released as a Japanese Wii exclusive in 2009, Tales of Graces is the (checks notes) twenty-first entry in the Tales franchise. The following year, it was released for PS3 as Tales of Graces f, adding a substantial playable epilogue, though it remained Japan exclusive until 2012, where it finally saw a translation and western release. A remaster was released earlier this year, bringing it to modern consoles and introducing a variety of quality of life features as well as most of the cosmetic DLC being included.

As much as I love the genre, I've never fully taken the dive into the Tales franchise. The series is known for its anime aesthetic, as well as its unique combat system, which is performed in real-time with the player controlling only one character in a 3D arena with an emphasis on combo based action. In addition to the traditional cutscenes and dialogue, the series also utilizes optional skits, which offer interesting and often humorous interactions between party members.

The story begins with a lengthy playable prologue which serves to introduce us to most of the characters and themes we'll be spending the rest of the game with. We play as Asbel Lhant, eldest son of a respected Lord. Here, Asbel is loud, brash, impulsive, and often completely disregards what he's been told. He's paired with his younger brother, Hubert, who is pretty much the opposite. Together, they find a mysterious, amnesiac girl who they call Sophie and Asbel decides he wants to take care of. We then also meet another young girl, Cheria, who is the nagging friend of the two brothers and the very obvious love interest to Asbel. They then meet and befriend Richard, the kingdom's young prince, which culminates in an encounter in which everyone is left unconscious as Sophie seemingly sacrifices herself to save her new friends. This sets in motion events that lead to our young group becoming separated and growing up apart, which leads us to a time skip, finally starting the story proper.

The prologue is, frankly, an abysmal slog. The combat, by virtue of the player not having many options, is tedious and boring, and everything is horribly linear. The characters, which in all fairness are children, are excruciatingly one dimensional. Cheria is shrill and nagging, and Richard has no personality to speak of. Sophie is interesting only because she has no memory and seems completely out of place, especially when she starts doing things purely on instinct. The prologue is also way too long, lasting a few hours, and I wouldn't blame anyone who put the game down before making it through. It is a terrible way to start the game, but is also frustratingly necessary to establish the story and does serve as a tutorial.

Fortunately, once we get into the actual game, things improve drastically. We find that after the events of the prologue, Asbel left home to pursue his dream of becoming a knight. His priorities shift when he receives news of his father's passing, and gives up his dream to return home to become the acting Lord. He's reunited with Cheria, who still resents that he left without saying goodbye, and eventually his younger brother who, for reasons that are poorly explained, was adopted and raised in another kingdom. Here, the characters become not only more tolerable, but more interesting. Asbel has become a young man racked with guilt and insecurities, Hubert has become cold, cynical, and methodical, and Cheria's there too. We get to meet Richard, who is now king and is totally not evil now, and we find a young amnesiac girl that looks exactly like Sophie did years earlier. We're later joined by Malik, Asbel's mentor at the knight academy, and Pascal, a cheerful and ditsy young woman who provides the majority of the comic relief going forward.

In addition to gaining experience and levels in the traditional way, Tales of Graces utilizes a system in which you acquire and assign titles to characters that level separately, much like a job system. Upgrading titles give boosts to stats, unlock new attacks to use in combat, as well provide costumes and other benefits. You unlock new titles in a variety of ways, such as performing well in combat, exploring the overworld, completing side quests, and even through dialogue. Each title only has five ranks to progress through, so it pays to swap them out regularly, and they can even change how characters act in post battle scenes, which is fun. It's an interesting system that rewards exploration and allows you some control over how your party grows.

The story, overall, is interesting though fairly convoluted. There are plenty of mysteries to uncover, though they don't always come off as satisfying, sensical, or rewarding. Still, the characters keep things engaging, which having them be fully voice acted aids in tremendously. Laura Bailey does a great job of making Cheria a likable character, while Jamieson Price and Kate Higgins do wonderful jobs of bringing Malik and Pascal to life respectively. While I originally hated Asbel for being an infuriatingly annoying brat, he actually becomes a refreshingly charming lead. After the events of the prologue, we see that he's truly grown, and we get to join him as he continues to grow. He's imperfect, and very much aware of that fact and struggles to find his place. The one thing of which he seems certain is the power of friendship and compassion, which the world is more than ready to test every step of the way.

in addition to our quest to save the world, the game takes time to indulge us with plenty of lower stakes, though still valuable moments that allow the characters to feel more like people. Whether it be helping put on a play, giving a sick girl a collection of dolls which reference other Namco games, or the obligatory, though still subversive, beach episode, I truly came to like this group of idiots by the end of the game.

Though certainly not without its share of problems, Tales of Graces f is a charming game with engaging combat and extremely likable characters. The added epilogue feels like a natural extension of the story and offers a substantial amount of lore and gameplay to keep the adventure going. Though the prologue is a horrible, grueling mess, by the end, I was sad to see my time with this cast of colorful morons come to an end. It's a fun, engaging game with clever writing that serves as an excellent introduction to the Tales series so long as you can make it through the bullshit that's up front.