Tales of the Abyss 3DS

Summary
The 8th main title in the Tales series originally released on the Playstation 2 makes a comeback on the Nintendo 3DS. The story focuses on a young man with amnesia, who has led a sheltered life in his mansion until he gets caught up with a religious organisation who believe he is the young man spoken about in prophesy. He and his companions find out the truth about his past and discover the secrets of their world.

Description
Type: RPG
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Players: 1
Age: 13
Developer: Team Symphonia
Publisher: Namco Bandai

Pros

Cons



Review
I played this game when it first came out on the PS2 and loved it. This was a time when Japanese role-playing games were at the top of the gaming market, and this is a fine example of the genre. Out of all the Tales series this one had to be the one that stuck with me the most. The characters are diverse and have their own little quirks and the storyline just kept you on a rollercoaster of emotions.

When I found out it was to be released on the 3DS, I was ecstatic and went to buy it as soon a possible. At first, nostalgia had taken over and initially had hidden all the flaws but as I played I couldn't help noticing the lower frame rate, causing the game to occasionally lag. The graphics, although sharper, were lacking in textures but this may have been due to the screensize.

They also removed the multiplayer, which isn't such a big loss. The PS2 version allowed you to have other players control the other characters when you were in a battle. The A.I.s are smart enough anyway and the menu in which you can control how they act,offensive,defensive, etc, is self explanatory and works perfectly fine.

The battle system is a free-run, flex range linear motion battle system. A mouthful, I know. Which in layman's terms, means that though battles takes place on a 3D plane, the player can only move toward and away from the enemy they are targeting. The player can attack, defend, use skills, and also open up a menu which allows them to use items or direct their teammates.



Tales of the Abyss can be a little gruelling to anyone who prefers action over storytelling and character development. The cutscenes are plentiful and the dialogue can be long. Some of the scenes are beautifully animated and so rare to see these days in a game.



The story is captivating and the characters are lovable. This is a game that is mostly about its story, which I have found doesn't seem to sell as well in the Western games market as action games take over. You are also free to roam the world, discovering many sidequests and mini-games dotted all over the fantasy world.

This game is not a remake but a port. It has literally been taken from one console and put in another with the only real addition being the shortcut menu on the lower screen. However, the game itself is as great and entertaining as it ever was from the start right to the end.

Categories:
#jrpg
#rpg
#nintendo
#3ds
#namco
#1_player

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