Game Cube : Tales Of Symphonia Reviews
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Below are user reviews of Tales Of Symphonia and on the right are links to professionally written reviews.
The summary of review scores shows the distribution of scores given by the professional reviewers for Tales Of Symphonia.
Column height indicates the number of reviews with a score within the range shown at the bottom of the column.
Higher scores (columns further towards the right) are better.
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User Reviews (11 - 21 of 193)
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~Fantastic RPG Fun~
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 7 / 7
Date: July 29, 2004
Author: Amazon User
Tales of Symphonia is one of the best games I've played in a long time. The characters are well-developed and interesting which is more than I can say for most other RPG's where one or two main characters shine but the rest fade into the background.
It has a revolutionary battle system which allows you to control your other characters with a rigid fist or to set their strategy and let them attack based on a number of preset ideals. You can learn extra battle skills based on Unison Attacks or Ex-Spheres.
The game is highly recommended for any age. It is a clean, fun game with high entertainment value and replayability. There are many different ways to build your characters up and gamers will have fun retrying the different paths available to take.
Yay! An RPG!
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 12 / 17
Date: July 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User
This is one game that has me excited for those who only own Gamecubes. Most of us have craved a good RPG for too long! From what I know, the game will be 60-80 hours long, depending on wether or not you do side-quests. The battle system is inventive, with real-time combat, controlled using the a-button for basic attacks, b-button for special(technique) attacks, and x-button for dodging. Your allies are controlled by the computer or by up to four friends/relatives. So far as I know, a Game Boy Advance is not required for multiplayer. Also, some notable voice actors are the voices for Teen Titan's Robin and the Powerpuff Girls' bubbles(who incidentally is also the voice of Raven on Teen Titans). So, Gamecube owners with a need for RPG's, start counting the days, your hunger will be satisfied.
p.s. If you really want to see the game in action, go to
and look for some movies of it. ;)
The best of the Tales series...one of the best RPGs ever
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 6 / 6
Date: July 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User
I have little experience with Destiny 2 or the remakes of Phantasia, but Symphonia far exceeds all of the previous tales games in scope and fun. While I find the 2D style of the previous games to be quite lovely, the 3D battles add a layer of strategy not found in its button-mashing precursors.
The story is not very original, but it weaves stolen elements of Star Ocean: The Second Story, Final Fantasy X, and many other games into a coherent plot with endearing characters. The characterization is particularly good because you get to see optional skits with the characters almost constantly where the game overlays their faces on the screen and they discuss whatever is currently on their minds.
This is not only the best Tales game or the best Game Cube RPG, it is one of the finest RPGs I have ever played.
Great Game!
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 8 / 10
Date: July 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User
When i read all the reviews for this game, most reveiws complained about the difficulty spikes. The dungeon is easy, but the boss is hard... NOT TRUE!!! I've been playing this game for about 10 hours and i haven't run into that problem. All you have to do is play smart, and keep lots of reviving items ;-).Story is ok. The characters are intresting, but what appeals the most is the battle system. After screwing around with it for a while you see that battles are both fun and action-packed. Plus the multiplayer option is great, because no other mainstream RPG had done it before.
Great Game!
Multiplayer fun!
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 5 / 5
Date: July 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User
First off, this game is totally awesome all by itself! Great storyline, amazing gameplay, but what makes it better is having friends! And it's very easy. You don't need three gameboy advances, or anything like that. All you need to play with your friends is a controller. Plug it into 2nd player slot and they'll start controlling one of your characters in your team. But beware, the screen always stays centered on the main character(the person playing with controller1) so.. try and stay close to one another. (this review is sort of an answer to a previous post about how multiplayer works).
WOW
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 5 / 5
Date: August 16, 2004
Author: Amazon User
This game is just increadible. The graphics are stunning, the moster are beautiful, and the sounds are just to good to be true. It is a very funny game with many small skits that will make you laugh. The battles never get old with all of the different types of skills and unision attacks. The story line is what makes this game what it is. There is never a dull momment and some of these scenes get pretty intense. I think that any type of gamer would enjoy Tales of Symphonia. It is a fun game that makes you want to never put the controller down. !I highly recommend this game to all types of gamers!
A hidden story
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 5 / 5
Date: February 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User
I wasn't quite sure whether to pick up Tales of Symphonia or not, because I hadn't heard much about it. It isn't one of those famous games like Final Fantasy, but I swear it is definitly my 2nd favorite GCN game, just simply for the fact that multiplayer is confusing to set up. Most players try this game out and think it's boring and it just makes me wish the introduction was shorter. They never even get 1/5 the way through it. If you want a good story, an extremely strategic real-time battle system, and BELIEVABLE characters, this is the game for you... I just described the perfect RPG!
The second half of the game is the great part. I'm not the general fan of console RPGs, but this blew me away. You don't have to do everything in the exact order, and when I completed the game I only had 80 some percent. There was tons more I could accomplish! It's like the game never ends! If I had to chose 1 out of all of the 30 GCN games I have, it would be with no doubt Tales of Symphonia.
The whole story could be put into a full length movie, and when I finished the game I didn't want it to end. There are some neat features at the end where you can make it faster to accomplish if you decide to play the whole game again. Make sure you have a fairly large memory cards to make lots of files to save at different sections of the game to go back and play those certain parts. This game could be a novel, a game, or even a film!
Memories from this game make me so happy. I especially love the theme song to Hima.
I hope you try this out! The beginning makes you think it's a very short story, and it makes you feel like you don't want to play it anymore. Trust me, once you get past that stretch at the beginning, you won't want to take your hands of the game. If you stop in the middle and say "That was a crappy game" and leave it to collect dust, then you don't have any patience. If you finish the game, then there's no doubt that you love this game.
I'm just trying to get through that this IS a GREAT game if you give it time.
GRAPHICS: Cel-shading=Original,
SOUND: The songs bring back good memories
STORYLINE: Amazing, outstanding, BEST STORY I'VE EVER HEARD, Tons of twists in the plot, lots of hard-core trust and respect.
GAMEPLAY: 4 player in real-time with SSBM style set up (without all the jumping) The only con is that you can only do 1 player when walking on the field and dungeons. 4 player is only allowed in engagements with an enemy.
OVERALL: 5/5
Overall, I say namco did an excellent job on ToS. From what I hear Baten Kaitos is more fun for people that like action rather than a storyline, and Tales of Symphonia is more fun for people that like storyline AND action. It's filled with emotion and reminds me of the chimera episode on Full Metal Alchemist. One last con is that there should be speaking parts on the scripts where you press Z and you see little conversations between everyone, but that would take up TONS more memory space on game, and it would delay the release from the Japanese version (which has the voice parts).
Final Words: If you let a friend borrow it, tell them to play it until half way. Then they will love it.
Essential Game for GameCube Players... No Spoilers
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 5 / 5
Date: September 29, 2004
Author: Amazon User
This game caught me off guard. I had pretty much written off the GameCube as a legitimate vehicle for great RPGs after no great original titles had come out. Yes... "Skies of Arcadia" is amazing, but this was a game ported from another system. "Tales of Symphonia" is a GameCube exclusive in the U.S.A. for the time being. It has a somewhat cell shaded look to the characters, but many of the environments have more of a water-color look to them. In my opinion, the graphics look rather boring in screen shots, but in action, they can be really stunning. Overall, I found the cell-shaded aspect of the graphics to be much more satisfying than what was exhibited in Nintendo's own "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker." This is the exact reason I was hesitant to pick up this title. I was disappointed with Zelda, so I was apprehensive when I saw the cell shaded aspect of the graphics here. Do NOT let this be a turn-off for you.
This game has got to be about the most fun I have had on the GameCube system. I am extremely impressed with the battle system where you control a player chosen character in your party in real-time. It makes the battles very action packed with plenty of player involvement.
Sound is very good. I was really impressed with the voice acting. It is endearing and fits the animated character design really well. The English localization for the game is spot on. Music is hit or miss, but the voice acting and battle sounds make up for this. I had heard that the game would make about a 700 page book, and after having played through it with most of the side quests, I can say that I have no trouble believing this through all of the spoken and written dialogue between the characters.
Story? Where to start. I had heard the story to be cliche fantasy, but I found I was really impressed. There are obvious nods to other fantasy oriented storys and games, but these handled in the form of homage, not blatantly ripping off. It starts out with a formulaic introduction, but the well written story quickly forges its own very interesting path. The player becomes emotionally involved with the characters and their quest, even though some of them are in archetypal fantasy/anime roles.
"Tales of Symphonia" is a stellar experience. Gameplay and graphics are polished and top-notch fun. The characters and story are interesting, and the sound is engrossing. GameCube players should not miss this, and I go out on a limb saying this... but I would say it has the polished qualities of a system seller. My hat is off to the folks at Namco for bringing RPG starved Nintendo players an absolutely fantastic game. One word of caution. There are rumoured to be "anime" cut scenes, but doon't get your hopes up for a lot of them as there are only a few. I hope the upcoming "Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean" (also from Namco) is half as good. Nintendo should take a cue from Namco on this one. I never thought I'd say that!
What a Game!!
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 6 / 7
Date: January 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User
Tales of Symphonia is an exceptional RPG game. I've been a fan for this genre for as long as I can remember. Through college and now medical school, I've become quite selective about the games I play because of my limited amount of free time. In my opinion, Tales of Symphonia can easily rival any of the best hits in the Final Fantasy series. Behind the cartoon-like/anime styled graphics is 80 hours of pure fun and entertainment.
Given the character designs and art works in general in the game, I really didn't expect much from Symphonia initially. But as the story unravels, I find the storyline enthralling and very well thought-out. The twists and turns are surprising most of the time yet very plausible. Character development is an area where I think Symphonia really outdoes the Final Fantasy (FF) series. Unlike the often simple-minded and happy-go-lucky paper-thin characters in FF, the full cast of symphonia shows great depth individually and growth over the course of the game. They acknowledge and deal with many themes, such as love and hatred, gain and loss, courage and cowardice, loyalty and betrayal, hope and regret, companionship and loneliness, selfishness and sacrifice in a very mature way. Each main character's personality stands out and leaves quite an impression. For instance, Kratos is rational, composed, willful and cold-blooded. Yet deep down he has a heroically conscientious side. Sheena is an honorable, strong-willed and independent ninja. But underneath it all, she is gentle and vulnerable and yearns for friendship. Regal lives in the sorrow and despair of his past. What happened? And who is he? The carefully crafted subtleties in each of character's personality and their motivations unveil gradually through the main storyline and the skits so well that all of them seem to come to life and become likable individuals. Character development in Symphonia definitely adds more layers to the game overall.
Despite of the realness of its characters and the storyline's seriousness, the game handles itself very lightheartedly. There's rarely any dull moment during the gameplay. The dialogues are funny and interesting. Some witty lines really cracked me up. The background music very nicely enhances of the mood and ambience. 8 main characters all have their own thematic music that matches them very well. The quality of voice acting is quite good. I think Kratos' voiceover was especially fitting for a tired hero who has seen it all and done it all.
The battle system is one of the most sophisticated I have seen. With 4 party members on the field, the player can control any one of them one at a time. The A.I. is more than satisfying. You can customize just about anything for a character, from targeting enemy, position on the battle field and attacking strategy to job titles, special moves, style of fighting (strong or technical), elemental attributes, the unique combo attack and unison attack systems and EX Gem boosts and EX skills. The battling system steers this game more towards an action RPG (think of Legend of Zelda). This makes levels less relevant and your ability to strategize and control your character effectively more important. When you become an expert in battle, you can defeat bosses at a much higher level than you are! The performance in battle is also graded! What?! Yes, you are graded based on how well you fight. Grades are EXTREMELY valuable. You'll need them big time when you start new game+ after you beat the game once.
The game also features 8 variations on its ending depending on the choices you make in the game and a ton of side quests and mini games. Even if you are completely oblivious to everything that makes this game unique, it is still more fun and entertaining than you expect (it certainly took me by surprise!). I had a blast with this game. If you choose to play it, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did. (And chances are, you will, trust me.)
A Must Have!
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 4 / 4
Date: August 23, 2004
Author: Amazon User
The Tales series hasn't sold well here in the U.S. in the past. This game changes all of that. For a while, around here anyway, it was a rarity. I had to order off Ebay to get it. Awesome game. Fun, in game multiplayer action.
-Review-
Story:
The most important part of a RPG. You assume the role of Lloyd Irving, a twin sword user. With your party, you go through the world of Sylvarant. You travel from place to place to "regenerate" the world via your best friend and class mate Colette Brunel. But not all is as it seems. The story is so awesome. With the characters, you experience deception, death, compassion, and betrayal.
Gameplay:
With over 80 hours of gameplay, where can you go wrong?
In towns and on the map, you can travel around and interact as whom ever you'd like, but they have to be in your party, of course. In battle gameplay is no different. You can control who, what, when, and where. Battles are so fast; I sometimes have trouble keeping up. A non-boss battle can be as fast as 10 seconds. Combos are so fun to pull off and there are techniques galore! To sum it up, the controls allow fighting, much like you would in Super Smash Brothers: Melee. You'd have to see and try it to understand.
Graphics:
I can't say I'm a huge fan of cel-shading, but ever since Wind Waker, I don't mind. Now that I think about it, I can't imagine this game being presented in any other way. With cel-shaded graphics, 3-D rendered worlds and anime cut-scenes, it's an experience you'll not soon forget.
Voices:
I do not know names, but I recognize a lot of voices. The voice of Lloyd is the same guy who does the voice of Robin of Teen Titans. The voice acting is almost perfect. Some of the voices don't seem to match some character, but oh well. The voice acting is a nice touch though, and is another great quality to the game.
Music:
Man, I cannot tell how much music matters. Awesome music in and out of battles. The music fits great with each situation, perhaps some of the better music you can find in a game...not Koji Kondo quality, but it passes my inspection.
Summary:
Awesome game. You will not be disappointed, I promise. An RPG to be remembered for quite a while. You'll have a blast. Nothing is monotonous, and you'll have a great time. The replay value is another plus. BUY IT!!!
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