My first Tales game was Tales of Symphonia. Someone on my hall in college lent it to me in 2006 to play on my Gamecube. Back then, games weren’t as plentiful and it was wonderful to have a group of people with similar tastes that you could trade back and forth with.
Maybe my memory is hazy from the hundreds of other games I’d played prior but I think Tales of Symphonia was also the first game I played which had “anime” cutscenes, a delight for someone who was deep into it at the time. But Tales of Symphonia was also incredibly different from the (J)RPGs I was at that point familiar with. Final Fantasy X was one of my biggest reference points. Final Fantasy XII and Dragon Quest VIII were still a long way away for us Americans.
For me, the concept of an RPG with characters that could move around in battle actively performing moves was foreign. While I never finished Tales of Symphonia and couldn’t recall how long I spent playing, my time with the game has long since resonated with me. But, life being what it is, investing time in dense JRPS is not easy and the Tales franchise has simply passed me by.
Tales of Graces f Remastered was announced as a part of the Tales‘ series 30 anniversary, which will take place on December 15, 2025, 30 years after the release of Tales of Phantasia. Released on the Wii in 2009 as Tales of Graces and the PlayStation 3 in 2010 as Tales of Graces f, the game has been marooned on old hardware that isn’t entirely friendly to people vying to satisfy their nostalgia. But thankfully, f Remastered looks to improve upon the lukewarm reception that befell Tales of Symphonia Remastered.
Tales of Graces begins by introducing us to childhood friends Asbel and Hubert who live in the world of Ephinea, a world plagued by politics and monsters. While players who want to get into the meat of the game’s narrative and its focal drama might feel like a bit of a slow burn, it is necessary to establish the context for the events that will transpire. Asbel and Hubert meet an amnesiac girl they name Sophie who becomes integrated into their group of friends but plays a vastly important role as the game goes on.
Like many of the more memorable RPGs, Tales of Graces‘ narrative works to establish the significance of its characters and its world. The player is meant to be along for the ride as the conflict the characters face often feels rather local and personal. However, things take a turn and the stakes are significantly raised, not only as a major betrayal rocks the foundation of the party but as the depths of Ephinea and the universe at large are revealed. I’ve always relished in that “killing god” twist in a game not only because it feels strangely empowering but often because it provides an engaging escalation in games that work diligently to get to that point.
A strong cast of characters truly sells much of Tales of Graces‘ drama and players will bond with them over time during quests, combat banter, and the numerous cutscenes. The much beloved option of switching to Japanese or English dialog should satisfy those who wish for their own idea of a pure experience. In terms of establishing where this game rests among the greater Tales franchise? Well, that’s a question for the internet or someone who has played more of the games. Symphonia seems to be universally considered as one of the most noteworthy. Graces preceded the two Tales of Xillia games but there hasn’t been a mainline entry since Tales of Arise in 2021.
Personally, I found Tales of Graces to feel like a “classic” JRPG without striving to be too modern. Its melodrama, voice acting, ping-ponging narrative, swelling music, and bright-eyed characters brimming with hope are kind of from a bygone era. If players accept they are along for this kind of ride, Tales of Graces is going to be an engaging time with a penchant for a nostalgic vibe.
What drew me in with Symphonia is replicated in Graces. Combat is done by encountering enemies on the field and then switching to battle that is contained in a circle that the player can freely move around in. Characters can dodge in four directions, block, and rush around to any enemy contained within. Attacks are separated into two Artes that for physical and magical attacks or skills. Rather than any kind of time-based system, Tales of Graces uses a Chain Capacity (or CC) that indicates a bank of what moves can be used. Certain combos and Artes use up CC and players will need to wait a few moments for it to replenish.
Coupled with the combat system are Titles that are sort of like jobs but exist primarily to level up and unlock skills or buffs from each Title. With around 100 Titles and numerous arts, combat in Tales of Graces can be wildly fun and a mindful strategist should be able to know when to double up on enemies or isolate them and let the party take care.
One interesting thing about Remastered is that it unlocks something called the Grade Shop at the beginning of the game. Once reserved for players who had beaten Tales of Graces, the Grade Shop lets players unlock certain boosts like experience and health, or ways to make the game harder. Those who want to blitz through combat could dial up every boon imaginable and never break a sweat. In this version, players also can retry a battle if they fail without having to go through the tedium of reloading a save. Nearly every piece of DLC available is seen here, in addition to the Lineage and Legacies DLC that takes place after the main story and provides further resolution for characters.
Again, Remastered may present Tales of Graces f as a relatively unchanged package, yet it strives to make it more palatable for today’s audience. It is crucial not to mess with the fundamentals of what made a game what it was over ten years ago. An argument could be made for redubbing the English voices, doing new compositions of the score, or adding a graphical overhaul. But even something like a waypoint system for quests is just enough of an aid that it can make an old game more enjoyable.
Often it is enough to have a game like Tales of Graces f and allow it room to breathe on its own, laid bare for a new audience. Stylistic choices made for a game on the Wii and eventually the PS3 should remain as a kind of time capsule. Presenting in beautiful, crisp visuals that look great on a modern television is often all that’s needed. Not everything needs to be on the scale of Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Tales of Graces f Remastered is a wonderful expression of translating a classic JRPG onto modern consoles. Rather than attempt a costly, unnecessary overhaul, Tose and Bandai Namco paid respect to this legacy series by bringing it to a current audience, one made up of series veterans and newcomers. Technically sound and packed with needed quality of life updates, Tales of Graces f has a renewed spotlight–one that may shift to other Tales games in need of this treatment.
