[Poll] Tales of Symphonia / Skies of Arcadia

[zoothe]

<blockquote><i>Originally posted by Malakai</i> <br>Well IMO you didn't miss too much as far as RPGs go. </blockquote> <p>Ouch! Skies and Tales are two of the three best straight forward RPGs I've played in a very long time (the third being Star Ocean III).

[Benoit]

Nope, not yet.

[Malakai]

<blockquote><i>Originally posted by zoothe</i><br>Ouch! Skies and Tales are two of the three best straight forward RPGs I've played in a very long time (the third being Star Ocean III).<br></blockquote><p>Perhaps if I hadn't just played Skies they wouldn't have been that way. But after playing Skies they were a little of a disappointment. In fact, I don't think I'll even bother replaying them.

[zoothe]

Really? The thing I liked about Tales over Skies was the fact that it had many replay bonuses... you know, something to change the game slightly that next time around.<p>Tales and Ocean have so many little things for you to keep striving for (more, at least, than Skies). I was able to get all of the extra stuff in Skies my 1st time through (NGC version of course).<p>Basically, while Skies ultimately rules over the other two, I definitely felt the others had more replay "incentive".

[Malakai]

I dunno. The incentives to replay them were a little too tedious to me. But then again my fire for playing RPGs like I used to is slowly dying out. I guess I'm getting old. :p

[jherm]

if you've beaten tales once, i have great incentive for you to replay. theres a second storyline. it starts by when your supposed to go to izoold for the first time, don't. walk, north i think it is? and cross a bridge and then continue on as if you'd just passed through hakonsia peak. it makes a few battles very tough, but its interesting trying to get through this storyline because it doesn't tell you exactly where to go every time, you gotta figure alot of it out on your own.

[Malakai]

Well, that sounds like a challenge - something this old geezer is definitely ready for!<p>But blast it, now I have to go sort through my library of RPGs to find that game... !@#$

[Lord Khyron]

It's all about PIASTOL and Belleza in the remake..<p>I luff Piastol ^^ Angel of death...

[thriwren Version 2]

tales

[zoothe]

<blockquote>It's all about PIASTOL and Belleza in the remake.. </blockquote> <p>Oh yeah! I had a hard time with her at first, but then I went and leveled up at that big goofy enemy inside the Dark Rift and then went back and whopped her butt

[Benoit]

I could never beat that Elcian enemy. He always ran away after a couple of turns.

[ThePeaGuy]

<blockquote><i>Originally posted by Benoit</i><p>I could never beat that Elcian enemy. He always ran away after a couple of turns.<br></blockquote><p>Solution: Equip a Black Map on one of your characters before you fight him. Black Maps stop enemies from escaping the battle.

[Benoit]

I've finished Tales of Symphonia after 85 hours 20 minutes of play. <br>Let's discuss...<p>Skies of Arcadia<br>The main thing in this game is exploration, and its unique world. That in itself is refreshing and sets it apart from other RPGs. The story is a bit cliched and straight-forward, but the way it's handled is good. The story could also be called an excuse for exploration.<br>The music is great and memorable. No doubt about that.<br>The graphics are great, offering a 3D manga style, complete with expressions, something no other RPG had back then.<br>There's not that much replay value in the game, though. But if you liked it, you'll play it a second time, definitely.<br>As for the game's other bad points... It's way too easy. The bosses leave much to be desired. Also, while the Discoveries are nice, searching for them is a pain because you wish you wouldn't encounter random battles while you were searching for them. The game doesn't have that high an encounter rate, it's just an impression from looking for Discoveries, IMO.<br>The battle system is a tried-and-true turn-based system. It can be slow to execute, though it never bothered me. I liked watching it all. But that's not all, the system is innovative with its Spirit Points bar, and the Moon Stones.<p>Tales of Symphonia<br>This game is all about the story, and it's a great, complex, and long one. However, it's missing something. It just feels like it. There were times when the game didn't involve me that much, and felt separated from me. It's strange.<br>Its graphics are nice cel-shaded ones, in manga style. Pleasant to look at.<br>The sound is high-quality, but only half of the music is memorable, IMO.<br>Aside from its graphics, another thing that sets it apart from other RPGs is its real-time battle system. The Technique usage is well done, and there's EX Skills to help you. However, the battle system is not a replacement for a good turn-based one. You only control one of the characters in battle, and the rest of the characters is taken by the AI. In a certain bonus battle, I found myself swearing at the AI because it wouldn't follow my commands, and doing a bad job. The possibilities to influence the AI are poor. This is why a turn-based battle system, where you control all the characters, will always be better. The battle system is great, and fun, don't misunderstand me, but it's not better than a turn-based one.<br>There's much replay value in this game, and many things that make your play-time longer. Side-quests, titles, collecting recipes, the Coliseum,... And then there's Affection. In the game, Lloyd, the main character, will have to make choices. Depending on which choices he makes, some characters will like Lloyd more, and some less. This influences certain key moments in the game, as well as the ending. So to see everything, you have to replay the game several times.<br>Now, what's bad about this game... Its complexity, and the fact that it just asks you to buy a strategy guide. There are so many things to keep tabs on, like EX Skills, Cooking, Unison Attacks.<br>With Cooking you have to know which recipes to select, who cooks the recipe, collect them, get the ingredients. Especially in the beginning of the game, Cooking is a pain because your ingredients and Gald to buy them are limited. If there was just one character who had to cook, things would be much simpler already.<br>With EX Skills there are also Compound EX Skills, which you have to discover by combining various properties of the EX Gems. This makes it very unpredictable, as there are four slots, and four levels of the gem. You will never have enough gems to experiment, as when you remove a gem, it's destroyed, and the gems are limited until near the end, when they are often found in chests.<br>Unison Attacks are cool, but then there are Compound Attacks, and to discover them is once again, trying out dozens of combinations. While there is no limit for this unlike with the EX Gems, there are many, MANY Techniques to combine with.<br>The side-quests seem to ask of you that you go talk to everyone in the game at any possible moment. They are so out of your way and randomly set, that it would be very time-consuming to look for all of them on your own, and finding them all.<p>Keep in mind that this comes from a completionist, who wants to find everything in a game by himself, without help. I believe you should be able to see everything in a game without any outside help.<p>Both games have characters that you will care about, and the voice acting is good, even though in Skies of Arcadia there's not much of it.<p>I think I'll choose Skies of Arcadia. It feels more complete, and provides a better experience without excessive frustration.

[jherm]

HOLY DISSAPOINTED. either i effed up the second story line or its a small change of a few scenes and a small change in order before you hit tower of salvation. what crap. so stupid.<br>

[Forge]

I have to agree with you Benoit, although:<p> <blockquote>The graphics are great, offering a 3D manga style, complete with expressions, something no other RPG had back then. <br></blockquote> <p>I'd consider Ocarina of Time as an RPG, although it is a bit more of an action game.