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- The iconic action JRPG series Tales is bringing back its classics with remasters.
- The PS2 gem featuring a unique battle system, Tales of Legendia, deserves a chance.
- Rather than Abyss and Xilia, the older Legendia will benefit the most from an upgrade and exposure.
JRPG is a genre that is very close to my heart. I started my humble gaming journey with it, and it has been one hell of a ride so far. Ever since I played Final Fantasy 6 way back in the day and sat there in awe and admiration, I’ve explored the vast world of JRPGs to my heart’s content.
I was there whether it be action, turn-based, hybrid, or tactical JRPGs. It’s hard to explain, but everything about the genre—from gameplay elements to world-building, character stories to voice acting—is a treat to watch unfold. Many long-running series still go strong, one of which is my topic today: The Tales series.
Why it matters: Rather than the apparent choice like Tales of the Abyss, the older, more underrated Tales of Legendia needs a mechanical upgrade and modern recognition.
The Revival Of Tales’ Classics
No JRPG fan has not heard of the Tales of series. It’s the flagbearer of action JRPGs in the modern era, alongside Ys, and features some of the genre’s most beloved and renowned entries.
The JRPG series mostly features standalone games, but one thing’s for sure. The quirky characters, strong plotlines, and highly entertaining anime-style Skits featuring hilarious character interactions will make your day. The unique combat system involving Arts and directional mobility is a true treat.
This massive series has had games on multiple platforms over the years, many of which are now obsolete. To salvage these gems, Namco is slowly returning the series’ classics with remasters. First, it was Tales of Symphonia, and now Tales of Graces f, which is a fantastic game you should try.
From the official Tales of 30th Anniversary website: "We will be remastering past titles in the series, giving costumers around the world the opportunity to play them on current-generation gaming consoles."
byu/swazzpanda intales
Tales Of Legendia, The Underrated Gem
Now, the question arises: What’s next? Of course, Tales of the Abyss and Xilia are the most obvious choices. Luke’s phenomenal journey of redemption and self-discovery in Abyss which introduced the free run mechanic is still my favorite Tales game ever, and fans have been asking for Xilia and Graces f ports for years now.
Since Graces f is here, Xilia must be close behind, and Tales of the Abyss has fans all over. But I’m here with a hot take today. As much as I love Abyss, I think the more deserving contender is Tales of Legendia. Now, before you decide to come after me, let me explain my stance a bit.
Tales of Legendia is probably the most underrated entry of the series. I think it’s not as popular because of the different battle systems. Tales series generally features a 3D battle arena with linear motion and directional mobility on command. Tales of Legendia does things differently.
On top of the random encounters, the combat system is in 2D, similar to a fighting game. The Tekken and Soulcalibur developers working on it might be the reason. Yes, it can be a little awkward and hard to learn, but trust me, don’t let this minor inconvenience stop you from witnessing a splendid game.
Legendia Deserves The Recognition
Besides, the combat is not necessarily bad. Instead of tactical movement around the enemy, you must time your backsteps and maintain a calculated distance while closing in strategically. It’s worth learning, especially when you enjoy a solid game.
The game follows Senel and his sister as they land on a mysterious ship/island. When the sister is called a “savior” and kidnapped, a journey of rescue and uncovering the secrets of this enshrouded place begins. The story pacing has some issues, but the overall plot, especially the voice acting and hilarious character interactions, make up for it.
The only qualm I have with the game is the frustrating random encounters. But as Namco is creating remasters with improved quality of life, I believe Legendia’s random encounters can be replaced with on-screen enemy sprites, similar to Symphonia and subsequent games.
In a nutshell, Tales of Legendia is a beautiful game underneath its flaws and deserves a lot more than being abandoned on the PS2. Yes, Tales of the Abyss and Xilia are more fan-favorite. Still, both being on later platforms and the fact that Legendia needs a mechanical upgrade the most make them a slightly lower priority.
I’ll be enraging a fandom, but I stand by my point. Tales of Legendia needs to make a return before any other Tales game.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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