Dragon Fang!

Tales of Symphonia is Namco's newest GameCube game, and it is a notable title because it is also the latest entry in the "Tales" series of RPG's. Tales of Symphonia is also noteworthy because it is the first "traditional" RPG to hit the system since Skies of Arcadia Legends. Having never played any of the Tales games before, I pretty much approached this one not knowing what to expect. 

Symphonia's story revolves around a group of young people who are out to save the world by replenishing its mana supply. The game opens with a slick anime-style cinema, which introduces various characters through a number of action sequences. I've heard that there are several of these cinemas dispersed throughout this game (perhaps explaining it's 2-disc size?), but I am 12 hours into it and I have yet to run across one. Additionally, there are a number of characters and setting that are featured in the opening that I have yet to come across. So, that is a pretty fair indication that there are some major plot twists ahead.

The game's interface is one of the most refined I have run across in an RPG, and contains a number of handy features. For example, it not only shows the amount of time you have been playing, but also the amount of time that has elapsed since you saved last. Little touches like these go a long way towards making the game highly intuitive to play. The battle system is also unique, featuring 4 players on screen at once. The player always controls the main character, and the other players can either be controlled by the computer or by additional players. The monsters actually appear in the overworld and dungeon environments, allowing a player a chance to avoid combat by staying clear of them. My only complaint about this system is that the avatars used to represent the monsters are generic and do not match the monsters that are actually encountered.

Graphically, Symphonia is quite beautiful. The game's art style is somewhat reminiscent of a storybook, and the characters feature some cell-shading to give them a cartoon-like look. A lot of bright colors and cheery music belie the fact that  Symphonia actually deals with some pretty serious subjects. So far, characters have died, been enslaved, tortured, and transformed into hideous monsters. This game definitely earned that "T" rating! In terms of sound, this game is awesome. The characters have a fair amount of voice-over work, but there is still a lot of text in the game. The voice acting is of good quality, and I think I recognize some of the actors from the dubbed anime I've seen. The music is pretty good too, with a number of atmospheric tracks helping to set the mood in the dungeons and towns.

So far, this game is a very worthy RPG that combines great visuals and sound with a highly refined interface and unique battle system. While I haven't found the story to be overly compelling thus far, I can't help but conclude that I am still in the preliminary stages of the game. I'm going to stick with it, and enjoy the ride!

Andy Rucker