
Developer: TOSE CO., LTD.
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
Tales of Graces f Remastered – Review
Tales of Graces f remastered is a colorful JRPG with an intriguing storyline that is home to a group of well-written main characters. Alongside Asbel Lhant and his friends, you’ll travel through the world of Ephinea to uncover its mysteries.
The original Tales of Graces f was released in Japan in 2009 for the Nintendo Wii. In 2010, an improved version came out for the PS3. This version brought an expansion to the story and improved its gameplay. Now, 15 years later, the PS5 remaster brings an even more refreshed version of the game. There’s no denying that the Tales-of-franchise includes a wide range of different games that are set in distinct worlds and that’s exactly what makes this franchise most enjoyable.
Story
In Tales of Graces f Remastered you start your journey as Asbel Lhant, a young nobleman who’ll always say yes to adventure. The story begins in the Lhant territory which is a warm and colorful place that’s home to most of the game’s main characters. One day Asbel, his brother Hubert, and their friend Cheria meet a mysterious girl who appears to have amnesia. They call her Sophie and are determined to find out who she actually is. This quartet comes across Prince Richard, and after having saved his life, everything starts to change.
All of the characters go their own way and seven long years later they all come together again. Asbel and his friends then face political issues such as war. This political side of the story is well narrated and easy to understand which is a big plus, as it’s important to know the relationships between countries to understand the storyline. The storyline is well-structured and divided into three main chapters: a prologue focusing on the characters’ youth, a main story that takes place after they’ve grown up, and an epilogue.
The story of Tales of Graces f has you hooked from beginning to end. At first, it may have you disoriented as you might have no clue what’s happening to certain characters. However, it’s this mystery that makes the game so appealing. It makes you want to keep playing to see what happens next and every event is likely to capture your attention. This is of course the case for newcomers. Yet, those who played the game 15 years ago will love to go through it all over again while enjoying the updated visuals and gameplay.
Tales of Grace’s storyline is catchy, the characters are unique and well-written and there’s just a lot going on in the world of Ephinea about which you’ll want to learn more. The game is very story-focused and contains a lot of cutscenes which is an asset for everyone who loves story-based video games. Additionally, the narrative is linear and little side quests are to be found which isn’t exactly a con either since the game offers 45 to 55 hours of gaming fun with the main story alone.
Graphics
The remaster of Tales of Graces went through a number of visual upgrades. The world of Ephinea radiates a certain warmth and is bright and colorful. In addition, it also has an anime feel to it. It looks just as stunning as the game’s characters. They give off the same brightness as the areas you travel through. The characters all have their own look and style and their own outstanding personality. Their models are more detailed in this version and animations run smoothly.
Sound
The soundtrack of Tales of Graces f is composed by Motoi Sakuraba and is a joy to the ears. The music in this game ranges from orchestral pieces to mesmerizing melodies that add to the emotional impact of the story. The soundtrack is different in each area you visit and resonates with the environment perfectly. The music during battle is exciting and gives an extra touch to the already well-worked-out battle system. It’s also worth mentioning that this version of Tales of Graces f offers you the option to play using either English or Japanese voice-acting.
Gameplay
Tales of Graces f Remastered is a JRPG in which you follow Asbel and his friend through an immersive story that goes hand in hand with great gameplay. The biggest plus here is the battle system. Tales of Graces f uses a Style-Shift Linear Motion Battle System (or SS-LMBS in short). This system allows for fast and strategic battles that remain fun and exciting. This style of combat enables you to position your character during battle in any way you like, allowing you and the rest of your party to perform unstoppable combos together.
You’ll progress through the story collecting XP with every battle you win and assigning so-called Titles to your characters. By default, there are five character enhancements under one such Title which are called Artes. As soon as you choose a Title for your character, the XP you earn will go to that Title and that’s how you’ll learn its underlying Artes. You can experiment with them, as the Artes you learn from each Title will always be available to you. This gives you the freedom to fight battles in your preferred style. You can also choose which character you control by choosing them as the ‘leader’.
The battle system lets you fight battles whichever way you want and that’s what makes this game so much fun to play. At first, the whole Titles and Artes system may be overwhelming. Nonetheless, if you pay attention to the guidelines and start experimenting with them as you continue your journey, you’ll get used to the system and a whole world of fighting fun will open up.
As fun as the battle system may be, some people just like to focus more on the story elements. This remaster offers a casual mode that is story-centered and thus battles become less important.
Tales of Graces f offers little puzzle elements which add to the fun of the game. Lastly, another feature that adds an extra touch is the little interactions that the characters have after battles most of which are actually fun and will make you chuckle.
Conclusion
Tales of Graces f Remastered is a must-play for any JRPG fan whether you’re a newcomer to the franchise or you’re already accustomed to it. This entry in particular takes place in a colorful world with many areas to discover and has a set of unique characters that are each a mystery to unravel. Who is this mysterious Sophie and why is Richard behaving strangely? The catchy story will have you hooked for hours and the battle system is most enjoyable. And in the end, you’ll learn something about friendship too, as protecting his friends is clearly what’s most important to Asbel Lhant.
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