The game is set in the world of Ephinea and follows Asbel Lhant, who as a child befriends an amnesiac girl and witnesses her death before reuniting with her seven years later.[7]
Tales of Graces and Tales of Graces f both received positive reception in Japan. The Wii version sold over 100,000 copies while the PS3 version sold 200,000 copies during their week of release.[8][9] The game was adapted into four manga collections, a novel series, and eight drama CDs. The English localization of Tales of Graces f received praise for the gameplay, with mixed reviews for its presentation.
Gameplay
A battle gameplay in Tales of Graces f
Tales of Graces consists primarily of two major areas: the field map and a battle screen.[10] The field map is a realistically scaled 3D environment traversed by foot, on which various skits between characters can be viewed that include animated character portraits, subtitles, and full voice acting. The battle screen is a 3D representation of an area, in which the player commands characters in battle against CPU-controlled enemies.[10]
During battle sequences, the game uses the Style Shift Linear Motion Battle System.[11] Four characters are chosen to battle, with characters not controlled by the player being controlled by artificial intelligence with instructions set by the player beforehand.[3] Chain Capacity (CC) denotes the number of skills and actions a character can perform, with usage reducing it, and it recharges over time. During battle, the player and enemy have an Eleth Gauge, which, when filled, grants unlimited CC and resistance to stunning.[10] Each character has two skill systems: Assault Artes, which are predetermined combos, and Burst Artes, which can be mapped to specific inputs.[3] Skill and attribute development are dependent on Titles and their levels.[12] Titles are earned through story progression and completion of miscellaneous criteria during battle, and each have five levels that are advanced by completing battles.[12]
The game takes place in the world of Ephinea, which is divided into the countries of Windor, Strahta, and Fendel. Asbel Lhant, Hubert Lhant, and Cheria Barnes are children from Lhant, a village in Windor, who one day befriend an amnesiac girl from outside their village, whom they name Sophie.[Game 1] Richard, the prince of Windor, visits Asbel and befriends them before returning to Barona, Windor's capital city, inviting them to sneak into his castle through a secret passage.[Game 2] There, they are attacked by a monster and Sophie sacrifices herself to save them. Asbel regains consciousness in Lhant and learns of Sophie's death and Hubert's political adoption into the Oswell family to secure his future as the Lord of Lhant. Distraught over Sophie's death and the political events at home, Asbel runs away from home and enrolls in Barona's knight academy.[Game 3]
Seven years later, Asbel learns from Cheria that his father has died defending Lhant from Fendel's invasion.[Game 4] They return to Lhant and are saved from Fendel's army by Sophie and Hubert, who arrives with Stratha's military. He reveals that Windor ordered Stratha to secure Lhant and assumes the position of Lord after banishing Asbel from the village.[Game 5] After hearing rumors of Richard's death, the party investigates and finds him in the castle's secret passage, where he tells them that his father was killed by his uncle, Cedric, who has assumed the throne.[Game 6] The party travels to meet a trusted Duke and are joined by Pascal, a prodigy from the Amarcians, an engineering tribe.[Game 7] With the Duke's army, the party overthrows Cedric and Richard regains the throne.[Game 8]
Richard orders an invasion of Lhant to free it from Stratha's control, forcing the party to betray him.[Game 9] Recognizing Hubert's efforts as Lord of Lhant, they travel to Stratha with Malik Caesar to negotiate with the government and formally instate Hubert as Lord. The government agrees on the pretense that Pascal repairs Stratha's valkines, a large crystal that provides eleth, a life-sustaining energy; while he succeeds, Richard absorbs the valkines' eleth before fleeing.[Game 10] The party learns that Windor's valkines has also been absorbed and plan to intercept Richard at the final valkines in Fendel.[Game 11] Hubert joins the party as they travel to Fendel, but fails to stop Richard. Deducing that the Lastalia, the planet's core, is Richard's target, the party finds him there, and he mortally wounds Sophie before sealing the entrance to the Lastalia.[Game 12]
The party is unable to heal Sophie with magic or medicine, so Pascal suggests that they travel to Fodra, a nearby planet that Sophie originates from, to find a cure.[Game 13] After finding a space shuttle left behind by Pascal's ancestors, they travel to Fodra and meet Emeraude, the last remaining human there.[Game 14] Using advanced machinery, Sophie is healed and regains her memories, revealing that she is a biological humanoid engineered to defeat Lambda, the monster that attacked them and is possessing Richard.[Game 15] Emeraude helps the party bypass the barrier on the Lastalia, where they confront and defeat Richard. Emeraude betrays the party and attempts to absorb Lambda's power, but dies in the process.[Game 16] Lambda begins to fuse with the Lastalia, allowing the party to see his memories and learn of his suffering at the hands of humanity.[Game 17] The party defeats the materialized Lambda; since he cannot be killed by normal means, Sophie intends to sacrifice herself to kill him. Instead, Asbel absorbs Lambda and convinces him to let him show humanity's worth, which he agrees to before falling into a deep sleep.[Game 18]
In the after-story Lineage and Legacies, the monster population has become an epidemic, forcing the party to reunite and investigate the cause.[Game 19] Hypothesizing that the eleth from Fodra is influencing the monsters, they travel there and discover that Fodra's core has reactivated and is sentient, seeking revenge on humans for Fodra's environmental decay. The party defeats Fodra's soldiers, the Little Queens, and have the reawakened Lambda absorb Fodra's consciousness before he returns to his deep sleep in order to dissuade Fodra's hatred. The party separates and returns to their daily life, with Asbel proposing to Cheria. In the distant future, Sophie shares the story of the party's adventures with Asbel and Cheria's great-great-grandson.
Main characters
Asbel Lhant (アスベル・ラント, Asuberu Ranto)
Asbel is the eldest son and successor to Aston Lhant, the Lord of the village Lhant. After Sophie's death and Hubert's adoption into the Oswell family, Asbel leaves for Barona, where he trains to become a knight in order to atone for his failure to protect Sophie.[Game 20] After the events of Tales of Graces, he assumes the position of Lord. In Lineage and Legacies, he marries Cheria and adopts Sophie into the Lhant family. Since his debut, Asbel has ranked third in the Tales character popularity polls.[13][14]
Asbel is a playable character in Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 3, Tales of the Heroes: Twin Brave and is a character class in Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X. He also makes a cameo in .hack//Link's pre-order DVD.[15] The game's producer, Hideo Baba, wanted Asbel's story to portray the need to conform to social guidelines and expectations as one grows up.[16] Through Asbel's conflict between choosing to succeed his father's Lordship or follow his dreams as a Knight, Baba wanted the players to understand the importance of protecting what is important to them and following through with their own path and dreams.[16]
English Voiced by Bryce Papenbrook.
Sophie (ソフィ, Sofi)
Sophie is an amnesiac girl whom Asbel, Hubert, Cheria, and Richard befriend. She is seemingly killed after protecting them from Lambda, but reappears seven years later to protect Asbel and Cheria when they are in danger. She is later revealed to be Protos Heis, a humanoid made of tiny particles that can act together or separately. Her death was her breaking up into particles that came to reside inside Asbel, Hubert, and Cheria to heal their wounds, causing them to possess mystical powers.[Game 21] During the events of Lineage and Legacies, Sophie expresses her fears of life after the death of her friends due to her immortality.[Game 22] To lessen her fears, Asbel formally adopts her into the Lhant family.[Game 23] After fusing with a Little Queen, Sophie ages to an adult and is able to express a greater variety of emotions. Since her debut, Sophie has ranked on the Tales character popularity polls.[13][14] Sophie is a playable character in Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 3.
Hubert Oswell (ヒューバート･オズウェル, Hyūbāto Ozuweru)
Hubert is Asbel's younger brother, who is adopted into the Oswell family to secure Asbel's succession to Lord.[Game 24] Hubert resents Asbel for deserting Lhant, perceiving the act as spiteful to his sacrifice, and his parents for abandoning him.[Game 25][Game 26] He overcomes his anger when he reunites with his family seven years later. Due to his capabilities, he is appointed the lieutenant of the Strahta military. Hubert ranked on the fifth Tales character popularity poll and fell from the rankings afterwards.[13][14] He makes a cameo in Tales of Hearts R dressed as the Sony mascot Kuro.[17]
Cheria Barnes (シェリア･バーンズ, Sheria Bānzu)
Cheria is the granddaughter of Lhant's family butler, who was sickly as a child but is healed due to Sophie's powers. She is in love with Asbel, but treats him coldly after he leaves Lhant; however, she later reconciles with him after revealing her sorrow at him abandoning her.[Game 27] She later marries him after he proposes to her. Since her debut, Cheria has ranked on the Tales character popularity polls.[13][14]Game Informer listed Cheria as one of the best characters in the Tales series.[18] Cheria is a playable character in Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 3 and Tales of the Heroes: Twin Brave.
Richard (リチャード, Richādo)
Richard is the prince of Windor, who befriends Asbel and Sophie after his visit to Lhant. Before meeting Asbel, Richard is distrustful of others due to them exploiting his status for their own gain and his uncle Cedric's attempts to murder him.[Game 28] When Cedric poisoned him and left him to die in the underground passage, Lambda saved his life by fusing with him. Seven years later, Lambda's influence causes Richard to become violent and attempt to destroy humanity by fusing with the Lastalia. After separating from Lambda, Richard is determined to atone for his crimes, causing him to become more popular with the people of the three countries.[Game 29] Since his debut, Richard has ranked on the Tales character popularity polls.[13][14]
Malik Caesar (マリク・シザース, Mariku Shizāsu)
Malik is Asbel's instructor at the knight academy, who is popular with woman due to his maturity and gentlemanly demeanor. In the past, he was a revolutionary of Fendel who fought for the lower class. After the events of the game, he becomes Fendel's ambassador. He is voiced by Hiroki Touchi.[19] Malik ranked on the fifth Tales character popularity poll and fell from the rankings since then.[13][14] He makes a cameo in .hack//Link's pre-order DVD.[15]
Pascal (パスカル, Pasukaru)
Pascal is a prodigy of the Amarcians, a tribe of engineers, who is fascinated by mysterious technology and Sophie's origins. Since her debut, Pascal has ranked on the Tales character popularity polls.[13][14] She makes a cameo in Tales of Hearts R dressed as Sony mascot Toro Inoue.[17]
Lambda (ラムダ, Ramuda)
Lambda is an advanced lifeform created on Fodra, whose mistreatment by humans caused him to harbor hatred towards them. During the party's childhood, he resides inside Richard after he is injured by Sophie, saving his life. Seven years later, Lambda is reawakened when Richard is fatally wounded, healing him and manipulating him to achieve his goal of destroying humanity. After being defeated by the party, Lambda is absorbed by Asbel, who convinces him to give humans a chance. In Lineage and Legacies, he absorbs Fodra's consciousness to dissuade her hatred as Asbel did for him.[Game 30]
Fodra (フォドラ, Fodora)
Fodra is a sentient desolated planet. A thousand years ago, Fodra began annihilating humanity with its personal army, the Little Queen[Jp 1], to preserve its environment.[Game 31] Fodra's scientists shut down Fodra's core and relocate the surviving humans to Ephinea. In Lineage and Legacies, Fodra is reactivated and resumes its genocide; after being confronted by the party, it merges the remaining Little Queens to form Fodra Queen[Jp 2]. After the party defeats the Queen, Fodra's consciousness is absorbed by Lambda, who intends to dissuade its hatred. As the last Little Queen is dying, Sophie accepts her request to merge with it and watch over Fodra.[Game 32]
Development and release
On July 7, 2008, Namco Bandai Games announced the next core product of the Tales series is developed for the Wii.[20] A trailer for the game was shown in October 2008 during the Nintendo Autumn 2008 Conference.[21] During Jump Festa 2009, the game was given the code name Tales of 10 (テイルズ オブ 10, Teiruzu Obu 10) and is revealed to have been in development for the past two years.[22] In the first week of April's Weekly Shōnen Jump, the game's name was revealed to be Tales of Graces;[23] the name was trademarked by Namco Bandai Games a month prior.[24] That same week, the developers were revealed to the same developers from Tales of Destiny.[25] In the same month, the game's theme was revealed to be Mamoru Tsuyosa wo Shiru RPG (守る強さを知るRPG, lit. "RPG to Know the Strength to Protect").[7] During the September Tokyo Game Show, the game's theme song was revealed to be Mamoritai (White Wishes) by BoA, which marks the second time a theme song in the Tales series has had both an English version and a Japanese version.[26] The game was released on December 10, 2009, and was also available as a bundle with a new Wii system.[1] The game included Kamenin Merchant! (かめにんマーチャント!, lit. "Turtle Merchant!"), a minigame for the Nintendo DS.[27]Kamenin Merchant! was released for the Nintendo DSi on December 2, 2009.[28] To promote the game, Namco Bandai Games and House Foods collaborated on packaged mabo curry.[29] In March 2010, Namco Bandai Games began to recall Tales of Graces due to software bugs.[30] Namco allowed customers to exchange their game with an updated version until July 2011.[30]
American box art of Tales of Graces f
Tales of Graces f
The PlayStation 3 port, titled Tales of Graces f, was first revealed on July 28, 2010's Weekly Shōnen Jump and officially announced by Namco on August 2, 2010.[31][32] The producer, Hideo Baba, explained the port was decided in February 2010 due to fan demand.[33] The port adds an "Accelerate Mode" to the gameplay and an after-story entitled Lineage & Legacies.[11] Preorderers received a DVD which contains a video of the game's protagonists meeting with characters from Tales of Destiny 2.[2] A demo was released on October 7, 2010, and the game was released on December 2, 2010.[2][34] A limited edition of the game included a letter set.[35] Namco and House Foods restarted the packaged mabo curry to promote the game.[36]Tales of Graces f was later re-released with a 15th anniversary cover art edition on August 4, 2011, and with PlayStation 3 The Best label on August 2, 2012.[37][38]
A North American localization was hinted on Namco Bandai Games' Facebook page by a puzzle on January 24, 2011.[39] When solved, the puzzle reveals a URL to a distorted image which was restored on February 2, 2011, and reveals Tales of Graces f's localization for North America.[40][41] On May 11, 2011, Namco officially announced the North American, EMEA and Asia-Pacific localization of Tales of Graces f.[42][43] The text was translated by 8-4 while Cup of Tea Productions produced the dubbing.[44][45] The North American localization was released on March 13, 2012.[3] The EMEA and Asia-Pacific localization released on August 31, 2012, along with a day one special edition.[4] The game was made available on the North American and European PlayStation Network in March 2013.[46][47]
A remastered version, Tales of Graces f Remastered, will be released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows on January 17, 2025.[6] It will contain quality of life updates, all downloadable content, and new scenes available outside of Japan for the first time.
Downloadable content
Tales of Graces offers costumes for the playable characters as downloadable content. Pre-orderers received codes which give Asbel, Sophie, and Cheria costumes from Tales of Vesperia.[48] Costumes based on The Idolmaster Dearly Stars for Sophie, Cheria, and Pascal were released on December 16, 2009.[49] On December 23, 2009, a Hatsune Miku costume for Sophie and a suit set for Asbel, Hubert, and Malik were released.[50][51] Between January and March 2010, a set of unique costumes designed by Mutsumi Inomata were released for each character.[52][53] In addition to the costumes, challenge battles were also added as downloadable content.[54]
Tales of Graces f received similar content as its Wii predecessor. Pre-orderers received a code which gives Asbel, Sophie, and Richard costumes from Tales of Destiny 2.[2] On the release date, Code Geass costumes, a Toro costume for Pascal, and Sophie's Hatsune Miku costume were made available to download.[55] On December 9, 2010, the Idolmaster set, suit set, school uniform set, and a Haseo costume for Asbel were released.[53][56] The unique costumes designed by Inomata were released on December 22, 2010.[53] In January 2011, various costumes were released to make the characters resemble other characters from the Tales series.[57]
In North America, all Tales of Graces f's DLC, excluding cameo costumes from other franchises, was localized and released between March 13, 2012, and April 10, 2012.[58][59] Europe received the same DLC which were released between August 29, 2012, and September 26, 2012.[60][61] For the Tales of Destiny 2 preorder costumes, North American preorders from GameStop received a code for them;[62] in Europe, the code was included with the day one special edition.[4]
Media adaptions
Manga
Tales of Graces spawned four manga adaptations after its release: Three anthology collections, and a traditional manga series.[63][64] The first anthology collection, Tales of Graces Comic Anthology[Jp 3] consists of three volumes by Ichijinsha.[63] The second anthology collection, Tales of Graces f Comic Anthology[Jp 4], consists of a single volume by Ichijinsha and was released on March 25, 2011.[64] The third anthology collection is Tales of Graces f Sub Travels[Jp 5] was serialized in ASCII Media Works's Viva Tales of Magazine Volume 8, 2011 to Volume 10, 2012 issues.[65][66] The individual chapters were then collected and released in a single volume on November 27, 2012, under the Dengeki Comics imprint.[67] A traditional manga series titled Tales of Graces f is written and authored by Megumu Aya[Jp 6]. It began serialization in Viva Tales of Magazine beginning in its Volume 2, 2011 issue and is currently ongoing.[68] ASCII Media Works collected the chapters and released the first volume on October 27, 2011.[64]
Books
Tales of Graces spun off a novel series titled "Tales of Graces f: Chikai no Hana" (テイルズ オブ グレイセス エフ 誓いの花, lit. Tales of Graces f: Flower's Promise).[64] The first volume is subtitled Jō (上, lit. Above) and the second Ka (下, lit. Below). They were released by Enterbrain in February and May 2011.[64]Tales of Graces f Official Scenario Book[Jp 7] by Namco Bandai Games was released by Yamashita Books on June 4, 2012.[69] It details the game's plot and fictional world. Tales of Graces has received six strategy guides in total: three for the Wii and three for the PS3. Shueisha, Namco Bandai Games, and Enterbrain were the publishers.[63][64]
Audio CDs
Ten drama CDs, produced by Frontier Works, and an original soundtrack by Avex Group were created based on the game.[70][71]Drama CD: Tales of Graces[Jp 8] 1 to 4 are side stories that take place during the game's plot. They were released between May 26, 2010, and August 25, 2010.[70]Anthology Drama CD: Tales of Graces f 2010 Winter[Jp 9], Anthology Drama CD: Tales of Graces f 2011 Summer[Jp 10], Anthology Drama CD: Tales of Graces f 2012 Winter[Jp 11], Anthology Drama CD: Tales of Graces f 2012 Summer[Jp 12], Anthology Drama CD: Tales of Graces f 2013 Winter[Jp 13], and Anthology Drama CD: Tales of Graces f 2013 Summer[Jp 14] are side stories after the events of the Tales of Graces.[71][72][73]Tales of Graces Original Soundtrack[Jp 15] was released on February 10, 2010, and contains four discs.[70] It ranked 128th on Oricon's charts.[74]
Tales of Graces sold 113,000 copies on its initial launch date, and sales reached 216,000 within its first year.[8][89] The game was re-released under the Nintendo Selects label on March 24, 2011.[90]Famitsu praised the depth of the gameplay but criticized the loading time.[79] The game was listed on Famitsu's "Greatest Games of All-Time" in 2010.[91]Tales of Graces f sold over 200,000 copies in Japan during its first week and reached over 300,000 a year later.[9][92]Tales of Graces f was later re-released under PlayStation 3 The Best label on August 2, 2012.[37] Famitsu repeated their praise of the gameplay and lauded the graphical upgrades.[80] A survey by ASCII Media Works's Dengeki Online in 2011 revealed Tales of Graces is ranked seventh on games readers would want to be adapted into an anime.[93]
For the English localization of Tales of Graces f, critics praised the gameplay while the presentation received mixed reviews. IGN described the battle system as "a beautiful ebb and flow to each confrontation" while GameSpot considered it to be the most technical and robust system of the Tales series.[3][82]Electronic Gaming Monthly and Joystiq praised the depth with the latter calling it "an actual challenge instead of mindless button-pressing".[12][77] Meanwhile, Game Informer considered the combat to be simple but fun.[81] Critics have also commented on the game's alchemy system, with IGN calling it "an approachable pursuit" and Joystiq describing it as "unwieldy" due to the number of collectibles.[3][12] IGN, Game Informer, GamesRadar, and GameTrailers all criticized the backtracking needed in the game.[3][81][83][85] GameInformer, GameSpot, and GameTrailers commented on the small world, with GameTrailers panning the linear pathways and "invisible walls" which prevent exploration along with the "cut and paste" dungeons.[81][82][85]
The plot, graphics, and audio have received mixed reviews. The plot and characters have been called cliché by Game Informer, GameSpot, and GamesRadar.[81][82][83] Game Informer called the childhood prologue monotonous but commented on the improving story after the time skip.[81] GameSpot agreed, calling the prologue the "weakest part of the story on its own" but "crucial point of reference" which adds depth and eventually breaks away from the cliché.[82] GamesRadar shared the same opinion as GameSpot and praised Richard's transformation into a villain.[83] As for the graphics, IGN considered them outdated while Joystiq described it as washed-out with jerky movements.[3][12] For the audio, IGN, Game Informer, and GamesRadar, considered the music underwhelming and the voice acting acceptable. IGN describes the voice acting "works" but some parts suffer from weak script.[3] Game Informer compared the voices to a well-produced anime and GamesRadar considered them fitting for the characters.[81][83] Meanwhile, GameTrailers criticized the presentation completely, citing the plot as predictable, the characters unengaging, the lightings flat, animations stiff, lipsyncing off, forgettable music, and the voice acting as dry.[85]
1 2 Gantayat, Anoop (November 26, 2009). ".hack//Link Delayed". Andriasang. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
↑ "Tales of Graces (2012) Japanese Cast". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved January 1, 2020. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
↑ Library Synopsis (Named after a Flower): "When Asbel and Hubert returned to Lhant with the girl, they found their longtime friend Cheria waiting [...] Asbel named the mysterious girl Sophie"
↑ Library Synopsis (The Gathering Storm): "Richard proposed a late-night tour of the castle using a secret underground passageway. Asbel readily accepted, but Richard failed to appear at the time and place he had promised."
↑ Library Synopsis (Childhood's End): "The party found the secret entrance to the catacombs, and discovered Richard lying motionless within. Just then, a mysterious monster attacked, gravely wounding everyone. An enraged Sophie managed to bring the creature down, but was run through by its claws. Then, there was a flood of light, and Asbel awoke to learn that Sophie had died and Hubert had been fostered to another family. Asbel and Aston fought, and even Cheria couldn't calm him down. Determined to run away, Asbel showed up at the gates of the Knight Academy."
↑ Library Synopsis (The Envoy from Lhant): "Asbel returned to Barona to find Cheria waiting. Asbel was stunned by her news: the conflict between Lhant and Fendel was intensifying, his father had been killed in battle, and his mother had grown ill with worry. With Malik's encouragement, Asbel decided to return to Lhant with Cheria."
↑ Library Synopsis (Exiled from Lhant): "Hubert explained that Windor and Strahta had forged an alliance, and that he would take responsibility for Lhant's governance. Outmaneuvered by his own brother, Asbel was banished from Lhant.
↑ Library Synopsis (Friends Reunited): "Shaken by a report of Richard's death from one of his pursuers, Asbel sought to verify it by traveling through the secret passage that starts at the Royal Sanctuary. Inside the catacombs he found Richard himself, wounded but alive. [...] The party decided to temporarily retreat from the capital and turn to Duke Dalen of Gralesyde for help.
↑ Library Synopsis (A Spirited Companion): "On the road from the catacombs to Wallbridge, a girl named Pascal joined the group after claiming to have seen an illusion of Sophie."
↑ Library Synopsis (Crowning the New King): "Determined to settle things personally, Richard joined Asbel in defeating Archduke Cedric. Once again, Richard's hatred drove him into a display of wanton cruelty. Even his appearance changed, further raising Asbel's misgivings. Nevertheless, peasants and nobles alike rejoiced at their new king, and marked the occasion with a magnificent coronation."
↑ Library Synopsis (A Seven-Year Reunion): "Without waiting to hear the results of Asbel's negotiations, Richard launched a surprise invasion of Lhant. Richard declared that those who defied him must be shown no mercy, and when Asbel forcefully disagreed, the furious king declared him a traitor. Having reclaimed her memories from seven years earlier, Sophie was able to block Richard's attack, and after a ferocious struggle, Richard and his army withdrew."
↑ Library Synopsis (Quid Pro Duo): "Learning that Strahta's occupation of Lhant was due to problems with Strahta's own cryas, and that overturning the recall order would be dependent on solving that, Asbel offered to have Pascal fix Strahta's valkines. Pascal succeeded, but Richard appeared on the scene and sucked all of the power from the valkines into himself."
↑ Library Synopsis (Together Again): "The party was stunned when they heard the news that Hubert had traveled to Strahta to deliver: Richard had also absorbed the eleth from Windor's own valkines. Everyone agreed that Richard was most likely on his way to the last remaining valkines. [...] From there, they planned to infiltrate Fendel, the nation that held the final valkines."
↑ Library Synopsis (The Lastalia): "Asbel and his party traveled to World's Eye, an island connected to the core of the planet, in order to protect the Lastalia. When Richard appeared there, he no longer seemed to be human at all. At one point, Richard seemed to briefly regain consciousness, but when Sophie proposed another friendship pact, Richard critically wounded Sophie and triggered a powerful chain reaction."
↑ Library Synopsis (For Sophie): "Richard's attack blinded Sophie, and even the strongest of medicines could not cure her condition. This, combined with the fact that Richard had called her Protos Heis, led Pascal to conclude that Sophie might not actually be human. If that were the case, Pascal figured they may be able to save her by going to the Fodra place mentioned in the Archive of Wisdom."
↑ Library Synopsis (Fodra, the Other World): "Having finally reached Fodra, the party discovered a city where a woman named Emeraude had been asleep for 1,000 years. There they learned that Sophie was an artificial humanoid soldier, and that they would need to go to a special facility to repair her."
↑ Library Synopsis (Welcome Back, Sophie): "Asbel's party learned that Richard was infected by a life form known as Lambda, and that Sophie was a humanoid that had been created to destroy it."
↑ Library Synopsis (The Wages of Ambition): "The shuttle landed within the cocoon that Richard had created. Sophie was determined to destroy Richard when she encountered him; Emeraude had given her the power to sacrifice herself in order to eradicate Lambda, and she had planned to use it. But Emeraude stopped her in hopes of instead using Lambda's power to restore life to Fodra. Lambda rejected her and, once again, left for the Lastalia with Richard."
↑ Library Synopsis (The Story of Lambda): "In the Lastalia, glimpses of Lambda's memories revealed his tragic past. As a new life form, he was made into a test subject on Fodra, and was marked for termination when his natural abilities were deemed too dangerous. Cornell, who treated Lambda like a person and even made him smile, ultimately sacrificed his own life to save Lambda. That experience instilled within Lambda a fierce will to survive, and an empathy for the young Richard he would later find teetering at the brink of death."
↑ Library Synopsis (The Battle's End): "Asbel allowed Lambda into himself to see his true intentions. Witnessing the strength of Asbel's resolve, Lambda decided to remain within Asbel, and fell into a deep sleep. And thus, peace returned to the world. Asbel and his companions each returned to the places where they belonged, to fulfill their individual destinies."
↑ Library Synopsis (Barona, Six Months Later): "Upon arriving in Barona, Asbel reunited with Richard, Cheria, Malik, and Hubert. [...] Hubert and Malik confirmed that the increase in monster attacks was not confined to Windor."
↑ Asbel: "You know, it's because of you that I wanted to be strong in the first place." /Sophie?: "Me? [...]" /Asbel: "Sorry. I guess I think of you as Sophie, you know?"
↑ Emeraude: "Protos Heis is composed of individual particles that act in concert with each other. These particles, tinier than a grain of sand, come together to form a human shape. And while they act as one, the particles also possess the ability to separate from each other, which is what you see happening now. [...] It's the result of a process called "distriputive preservation". Your friends must be completely synchronized with Protos Heis' particles. [...] When Protos Heis suffers heavy damage, it usually splits into individual particles, shuts down all functionality, and begins the process of reconstruction. This is known as "particle preservation". Distributive preservation, on the other hand, allows Protos Heis to implant its particles into one or more separate vessels. [...]" Pascal: "Would her particles have any kind of effect on the vessels that they went into?" /Emeraude:"Yes. In fact, while the particles prepare for reconstruction, they would repair any damaged areas of the vessels as well." /Pascal: "So Sophie split herself into three parts and then used those parts to save Asbel, Cheria, and Little Bro! [...]" /Hubert: "I see. Then this would explain why we possess some of the same power she has."
↑ Sophie: "I want to be human. [...] Asbel... Cheria... Hubert... Richard... Pascal... Captain Malik... You're all going to die someday...But not me. If I were a human you couldn't leave me alone when you die. Help me, Asbel. How do I become human? [...] No matter how sad I get, I can't even cry like you."
↑ Asbel: "I've given this some thought, and if you want a family, I think we should give you one. From now on, your name shall be Sophie Lhant and I'll be your father."
↑ Aston: "Hubert is a bright and tenacious boy who can accomplish great things under Sir Oswell's tutelage. I want him to be proud of the man he will become. And above all else, I want him to avoid having to fight for my title. The very same fight that ruined my brother and I."
↑ Hubert: "I spent the last seven years studying and training. I've sacrificed everything to achieve what I've become. I'm not you. I didn't forget my home and my people so I could go gallivanting around the countryside."
↑ Hubert: "Because of pride. You miss them at first but in time that pain turns to anger. Soon, you feel as if you can never forgive them. [...] You hate him. You want to get back at him. You want to ask why he did it. [...] But that only lasts as long as he's still around. Once he's gone, you'll finally understand how meaningless it all was."
↑ Asbel: "You know, you've been treating me like crap ever since I came back here." /Cheria: "Well that's your fault. In fact, all this is your fault! Seven years ago, you walked out of my life. You never came back, I don't know if I'd ever see you again."
↑ Richard: "You're only pretending to like me so you can use me later. It's always the same. People are only nice to me when they want something for themselves."
↑ Asbel: "I've been hearing your about your work from travelers. Everyone says you're doing a great job!" /Hubert: "In Stratha, King Richard is even more popular than even our president. You can even buy trading cards with his picture on them!" /Malik: "In Fendel, his popularity rivals that from the chancellor. I'm not sure who is more famous." /Richard: Please believe me: I don't lead these monster hunts out of some mad desire for fame. My earlier actions dealt a considerable amount of economic damage to both Fendel and Stratha. To make restitution for those deeds, Windor has taken on massive amounts of debt.
↑ Lambda: "I will start dreaming together with Fodra. In that dream, I hope that eventually we may form a kind of common understanding. Just as this man did for me."
↑ Scientist 1: "So it's as if Fodra is trying to rid itself of a virus." /Scientist 2: "And in this scenario, the virus is..." /Scientist 1: "The Little Queen's target is none other than... humanity itself."
↑ Little Queen: "Will you... take what's... left of me... with you... please? Take my feelings.. and my hopes.. for this world."
The Tales series is a franchise of fantasy role-playing video games published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, and developed by its subsidiary, Namco Tales Studio until 2011 and presently by Bandai Namco Studios. First begun in 1995 with the development and release of Tales of Phantasia for the Super Famicom, the series currently spans seventeen main titles, multiple spin-off games and supplementary media in the form of manga series, anime series, and audio dramas.
Tales of Eternia, known as Tales of Destiny II in its original North America release, is an action role-playing game published by Namco as the third main title in their Tales series. Initially released for the PlayStation in November 2000 in Japan, an English version was later released in North America in September 2001. It was developed by members of Telnet Japan's "Wolfteam", who had previously worked on its predecessors Tales of Phantasia and Tales of Destiny. The game's producers gave it the characteristic genre name RPG of Eternity and Bonds. A port was released for the PlayStation Portable handheld in Japan in March 2005, and the PAL region in February 2006.
Tales of Destiny is an action role-playing game originally developed by Telenet Japan's "Wolf Team" as the second main title in Namco's "Tales of" series. Originally released in Japan for the PlayStation in December 1997, an English version was later made available in North America in September 1998. The game features many of the same development staff as its predecessor, Tales of Phantasia, including composers Motoi Sakuraba and Shinji Tamura, with character designs by series newcomer Mutsumi Inomata. Its producers gave it the characteristic genre name RPG of Destiny. A remake for the PlayStation 2 was released in November 2006, which was followed by an updated version called Tales of Destiny Director's Cut in January 2008, both exclusive to Japan. The remake was also given its own unique genre name by its producers as RPG called 'Destiny'.
Tales of Legendia is an action role-playing game that was developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2 as the seventh main title in their Tales series. Originally released in Japan in August 2005, it was later made available in English in North America in February 2006. The game was created by a development team known collectively as "Project MelFes", which was composed of members of Namco's Tales Studio along with developers from the company's Tekken and Soulcalibur fighting game series. It features character designs from anime artist Kazuto Nakazawa and music from composer Go Shiina, as well as songs performed by Do As Infinity, Donna Burke, and Kanon. Its producers gave it the characteristic genre name RPG Where Bonds Spin Legends.
Tales of Rebirth is a Japanese action role-playing game published for the PlayStation 2. It is the sixth main entry of Namco's Tales series of video games. The game was developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco. The game was released for the PlayStation 2 on December 16, 2004, and then later re-released on the PlayStation Portable on March 19, 2008. Rebirth, set in a world populated by humans (Huma) and beast people (Gajuma), follows the adventures of Veigue Lungberg, a human whose friend Claire Bennett is kidnapped by agents of Agarte, heir to the throne of the kingdom of Karegia. Setting out to rescue Claire, Veigue and those who join him becomes entangled in escalating racial conflicts consuming the land.
Tales of the Abyss is an action role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio as the eighth main title in their Tales series in celebration of the series' 10th anniversary. Originally released for the PlayStation 2, the game was published by Namco in Japan in December 2005, and Bandai Namco Games in North America in October 2006. Its development team included director Yoshito Higuchi, producer Makoto Yoshizumi, and character artist Kōsuke Fujishima. The game features music by series composers Motoi Sakuraba and Shinji Tamura, and includes the opening theme song "Karma" by Bump of Chicken, which is replaced with the instrumental version in the western release. Namco has given Tales of the Abyss the characteristic genre name To Know the Meaning of One's Birth RPG. A port for the Nintendo 3DS handheld was released in Japan in June 2011, followed by an Australian and European release in November 2011 and a North American release in February 2012.
Tales of the Tempest is an action role-playing game developed by Dimps and Namco Tales Studio, and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Nintendo DS exclusive in Japan. An entry in the Tales series, it was released on October 26, 2006. The game makes use of the Tales series' recurring Linear Motion Battle System, customized so characters and actions can be controlled and determined using the DS touch screen, as well as incorporating multiplayer elements. The opening of the game was made by Production I.G and uses the music VS composed by Koda Misono.
Namco Tales Studio Ltd., formerly known as Wolf Team, was a Japanese video game development company founded in 1986. The company was renamed in 2003 when Telenet Japan sold part of its stake and made Namco the majority shareholder. Namco Tales Studio was originally the primary developer of the Tales RPG series, as it had been since the series' beginning. In November 2011, it was announced that the current Tales Studio would be dissolved and would merge with their publisher, Namco Bandai Games. In February 2012, it was announced that the 80 people of the Tales team would join Bandai Namco Studios.
Tales of Vesperia is an action role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio. The tenth mainline entry in the Tales series, it was released for the Xbox 360 and published in Japan and North America by Namco Bandai Games in 2008, and in European territories by Atari in 2009. An expanded port of the game for the PlayStation 3 was released in 2009 in Japan. An enhanced version, subtitled Definitive Edition, was released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in January 2019. The gameplay is similar to previous Tales games, featuring a new version of the series' trademark action-based "Linear Motion Battle System", while also introducing new elements such as online leaderboards.
Tales of Hearts is an action role-playing game released for the Nintendo DS in Japan and the PlayStation Vita worldwide. It is the eleventh main entry in the Tales series, developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Bandai Namco Games. The Japan-exclusive DS version received two editions: the "Anime Edition," featuring cutscenes by Production I.G, and the "CG Movie Edition," featuring CGI cutscenes created by Shirogumi. A remake of the game, Tales of Hearts R, was released on the Vita in March 2013 and later released in western regions in November 2014. Hearts R was also ported to iOS and released in Japan in October 2013 although it was pulled from the App Store on March 31, 2016, and therefore no longer available for download. Hearts R was developed by 7th Chord and includes staff from Bandai Namco Studios.
Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X is a remake of the Game Boy Color role-playing video game, Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon, for the PlayStation Portable developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco Bandai Games. It released in Japan on August 5, 2010. The original game was the first sequel in the Tales series, which normally does not have connected storylines. The story begins 205 years after the beginning of Tales of Phantasia. The game's theme song is Glass Flower and was sung by Hanako Oku.
Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 3 is the sixth entry in the Tales of the World series, and the third entry in the Radiant Mythology series. Like most of the "Tales Of" games, the game is only available in Japanese. Like other games in the series, it features a group of characters from various Tales games.
Tales of the Heroes: Twin Brave is an action game in the Tales series of games. published by Namco Bandai Games. It is considered a spinoff, and plays similarly to the Dynasty Warriors series. The game was released for the PlayStation Portable in Japan on February 23, 2012.
Tales of the World: Tactics Union is a tactical role-playing game released for Android mobile devices by Bandai Namco Games. It is a spinoff of the Tales series of video games. It was released on July 2, 2012 in Japan, with no announcement towards release in English speaking regions. In January 2013, the game was ported to the iOS platform, and in October 2014, a 3DS version entitled Tales of the World: Reve Unitia was released as well.
Tales of the World: Dice Adventure was a web browser-based board game in the Tales series of video games. It was released on April 26, 2012 in Japanese language only, though it was playable in any region with a Namco Bandai ID. Service for the title official ended on June 28, 2013.
Tales of Xillia is an action role-playing game released exclusively for the PlayStation 3. It is the thirteenth main installment of the Tales series and is developed by Namco Tales Studio with Namco Bandai Games as the publisher. The game was released in Japan on September 7, 2011, and was localized in North America and PAL region in August 2013. The game takes place in a fictional world called Rieze Maxia where humans and ethereal spirits live in harmony. It follows Jude Mathis and Milla Maxwell who elude government officials after sabotaging a weapon of mass destruction known as the Lance of Kresnik. The plot's central theme is Yuruginaki shinnen no RPG.
Tales of Xillia 2 is an action role-playing game for the PlayStation 3 released on November 1, 2012, in Japan. It is the fourteenth core product in the Tales series and was developed and published by Bandai Namco Games. The game was localized for North America and Europe in August 2014.
Tales of Zestiria is an action role-playing game. It is the fifteenth main entry in the Tales series, developed by Bandai Namco Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It was released in January 2015 in Japan on the PlayStation 3. For Western release in October of the same year, it was also ported to PlayStation 4 and Windows via Steam. The PS4 version was released in Japan in July 2016. As with previous entries in the Tales series, the game uses a variation of the action-based Linear Motion Battle System, with additional elements including a navigable open world, and the ability for certain characters to fuse into a single entity in battle to deliver powerful attacks.
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