Tales of the Abyss

[Sheikah]

Yep. I think Symphonia must have had a lot of places to visit because of it having two worlds. Certainly nowhere near the amount of revisiting in that anyway.

 

Symphonia characters like Kratos, Mithos, etc were a lot cooler I thought.

 

Generally the coliseum was awesome in Symphonia too, as was the music, as was the main character (Luke is basically a douche, whereas Asch is an overly angry a-hole).

 

The whole lowering bits of land gently then blowing away the miasma was bollocks. Really a very weak story for Abyss I felt. Contrast this to Symphonia which had elves detaining humans and turning them into monsters, along with two worlds vying to outdo each other. Then an epic final area and whatnot. I don't think I'm being nostalgic, Symphonia was by far a better game.

 

[Mokong]

Yeah I've still not gone back to this yet since getting Resi Revelations.

 

I don't think I'm that far off the end but I just don't have the same urge to play it like I did Symphonia. As has been mentioned Luke is a douche, thought he'd become more likeable after "cutting his hair" but he hasn't.

 

I actually like Emil more than I like Luke now that I think of it. Emil started off a whiny brat but he did improve and develop more than Luke has.

 

Though I guess this could also all be down to Abyss being the older game than Symphonia too.

[Ike]

Not sure if it's because I haven't played Symphonia in a while but I'm enjoying Abyss more at the moment.

 

I felt Luke's personality was different to most RPG main characters which what made me like him more. Symphonia seems to have a lot of stereotypical (anime) characters, I felt Abyss broke out of it. For example, Guy is probably the closest to the games Zelos but his phobia adds a twist to it.

 

Finally started to use the Fon Slot Chambers which in hindsight, I should have done ages ago since you can freely change them around if not happy... though it does reset the values.

 

I neglected it for ages only just found out what it does recently, and it's quite useful as well.

[Captain Falcon]

In the beginning, Asch and Luke kinda reminded me of Emil - it's like they represented his two sides. And it stayed that way for a little while after his hair cut too. But now, Luke has become the stock anime boy hero type which is sort of a shame and yet almost unavoidable too.

 

Guy shows glimpses of his deep character and then the game relegates him to the fon machine maniac/ scared of girls type for the next few hours until he gets another decent scene. He seems as though he's been a bit wasted so far. I know you can't have him "that way" all the time or it loses some of it's significance but having him be a bit more consistant than swapping in and out of that state for brief moments. Any line uttered by Anise, that isn't in relation to her parents, is a line that could be said by someone more interesting with a more unique angle.

 

@Mokong X\-C

 

Are you referring to DotNW or Original when you say Abyss is older? The first Symphonia is older than Abyss but then decent character development and script have nothing to do with game technology.

 

 

Another thing that sort of annoys me about this game more than Symphonia is the world map. Awful slow down for no apparent reason (and if this is the fixed version, I'd hate to see the PS2 one) and the fact that the game isn't too good at point you to places you haven't been before. There were several times I was told to go somewhere new and I'd spend ages faffing around in the boat looking for it only to come across places I couldn't enter (for silly reasons) and thus get a name to mark on my map for later reference. And why can the Albiore land in some areas and not others?

 

Also, the enemies. I don't think I'm managed to out run an enemy yet on the world map to the point it would make little difference if the fights were done randomly - it's going to happen one way or the other.

Edited February 6, 2012 by Captain Falcon

[Mokong]

@Mokong X\-C

 

Are you referring to DotNW or Original when you say Abyss is older? The first Symphonia is older than Abyss but then decent character development and script have nothing to do with game technology.

 

Really? Hmm... I always thought Abyss came first for some reason?

Ah well.

 

Anyway I finally finished this beauty just now

 

While I didn't get as hooked on this as I did Symphonia I still enjoyed it whenever I did play it.

 

After the first fight with Van though I felt the game really slowed down and didn't like how it became a "go here, cut scene, go to next area, cut scene, and repeat" for what seemed AGES with no dungeons and fights.

 

Also I was surprised at how much there was left to do after that first fight with Van as I thought in the run up to that fight that it would be the final battle

 

Then when the story continued I was thinking maybe it's only a short section and it will end soon

 

Should have know not seeing the actual deaths of the God Generals would mean they would return.

 

 

 

 

But I did fully enjoy the ending when I got there, the last battle was pretty epic. Used up all of the 11 life bottles I had left. Think I had Luke at level 62 with the others on 60. Finish time was 40 hours 40 mins which I thought was kinda weird, haha.

 

In comparision to Symphonia I think story wise of course Symphonia wins hands down, partially because I'm still not quite sure what the hell Van was trying to accomplish It seemed simple enough but they found a way to make it sound overally complicated and it just didn't flow as well as Symphonia did.

 

Plus all the twists and turns ToS had and the different races was just pure orgasmic RPG enjoyment all wrapped up in an amazing game. (Seriously when are we gonna get ToS remakes?)

 

Though in regards to ToS and the ending of Abyss....

 

 

I cannot believe they had Tear say "I love you to Luke" and had them be together in the end (though I would have liked to see at least a hug and/or kiss). Yet in TWO games of ToS they couldn't do the same for Lloyd and Sheena????? WTF

 

I'm still waiting on a third game where that will happen

 

Edited February 20, 2012 by Mokong

[Rummy]

Mine arrived from play yesterday - i've got about an hour into it and enjoying so far. I also have a spare copy on its way from zavvi too if anyone wants it, ?36 inc postage.

 

Oh man, shoulda taken you up on this. Play fucked up, it never arrived dunno where it went, I got in touch earlier than they said and they were all like 'hurr durr talk to us next week derp' and so I did, then they were like 'please indicate what you would like, a refund or a replacement' *clicks replacement* *emails arrived a day later* 'hurrr durrr please print this form, indicate on it what you would like, a refund or a replacement and post it to us derrrrrp' *5 days later* 'your replacement is being processed!' *checks stock levels* 'dispatched within 6-8 weeks' O_O

 

So I've just gone with ShopTo for ?38, ?3 more but...ykno, I might actually get what I've bought. It's already packed ready for dispatched, too!

[daftada]

Oh man, shoulda taken you up on this. Play fucked up, it never arrived dunno where it went, I got in touch earlier than they said and they were all like 'hurr durr talk to us next week derp' and so I did, then they were like 'please indicate what you would like, a refund or a replacement' *clicks replacement* *emails arrived a day later* 'hurrr durrr please print this form, indicate on it what you would like, a refund or a replacement and post it to us derrrrrp' *5 days later* 'your replacement is being processed!' *checks stock levels* 'dispatched within 6-8 weeks' O_O

 

So I've just gone with ShopTo for ?38, ?3 more but...ykno, I might actually get what I've bought. It's already packed ready for dispatched, too!

 

D'oh! Apparantly Play switched their logistics management before Xmas and since then deliveries have been going missing all over the place. Hope you enjoy the game!

 

I still have a spare copy if anyone else is interested?

[Mokong]

D'oh! Apparantly Play switched their logistics management before Xmas and since then deliveries have been going missing all over the place. Hope you enjoy the game!

 

I still have a spare copy if anyone else is interested?

 

Really? That's interesting, might also explain why my recent Spatacus Bluray order took 15 working days to get here. I was fully expecting to be calling them and was planning to just get a refund. But it then arrived on the 15th (working) day

 

Was the first time anything like that happened to me with Play, they were always very realiable for me with every order I ever made getting to me in Ireland within 5 working days.

 

If what you say is correct and this kind of thing becomes regular I'll likely move my online shopping elsewhere as Play were my prefered store both for price and realiablity but price means nothing if you don't know if/when you'll get what you order

[Rummy]

Interesting indeed! Explains quite a lot, I've had a few little/niggling issues with play since christmas, maybe there's alot happening behind the scenes. Even when this does arrive, I won't be playing it for a while! Still got SS, SR3, Xenoblade to finish, and I'm planning on getting The Last Story too! I need a holiday or something to find some play time for my handheld stuff

[Agent Gibbs]

Oh really? i've noticed play get a lot slower since Christmas (didn't a Chinese company buy them?) it explains a lot if management things has changed

 

I've missed loads of side quests it seems! i avoided guides for some time, but then i got stuck on something so had a look on Gamefaqs. while reading the bit i needed i noticed it had mentioned something about tears pendant, which i then went looking on a side quest /extras faq about and WOW i've missed loads of stuff

 

missed out on a load of scenes, artes and tear pendants, some shop guys and other things

I managed to (in my unguided state) keep up with Guy and Lukes artes and find the first two catalys weapons, oh and do something with a general from malkuth and a female general from Lanvalder whatever, although it seems to be half of a quest line so now i find myself keep going back around to see if theres more to do which there must be since i've had no reward just managed to get her to accept a ring

 

I can do it all in new game plus i suppose...

[Captain Falcon]

Oh really? i've noticed play get a lot slower since Christmas (didn't a Chinese company buy them?) it explains a lot if management things has changed

 

I've missed loads of side quests it seems! i avoided guides for some time, but then i got stuck on something so had a look on Gamefaqs. while reading the bit i needed i noticed it had mentioned something about tears pendant, which i then went looking on a side quest /extras faq about and WOW i've missed loads of stuff

 

missed out on a load of scenes, artes and tear pendants, some shop guys and other things

I managed to (in my unguided state) keep up with Guy and Lukes artes and find the first two catalys weapons, oh and do something with a general from malkuth and a female general from Lanvalder whatever, although it seems to be half of a quest line so now i find myself keep going back around to see if theres more to do which there must be since i've had no reward just managed to get her to accept a ring

 

I can do it all in new game plus i suppose...

 

I had a look at the sidequests too as I saw the Flamberge and wanted to know if I'd missed it or was still to pick it up. Then I saw all the other side quests and a lot seem to rely on having a conversation with someone at various points in the story that would be really easy to miss.

 

I got the sword in the end but it was much weaker than the sword I had on Luke so it seems it wasn't worth me chasing it down after all.

 

So I'm slowly eeeking toward the finish line but still a little bit to go I think. Have been trying to do the arena but have only managed to beat Advanced Singles with Guy because he's whippet quick and has a heal arte. I'm managed Beginner with Luke and Jade but not quite ready for advanced yet.

 

I have to say though, this constant travelling from one town to another just for conversations is starting to get a bit annoying. Unless I go looking for fights, I seem to spend good chunks of "gameplay" just watching cutscenes.

[drahkon]

Would you recommend this game? I absolutely loved Tales of Symphonia and Tales of Vesperia and I need a Tales of fix.

 

I read that the 3D in ToA isn't that good. Is it?

[Agent Gibbs]

the 3D is fine! its just subtle, they haven't used it as a gimic its just to ad depth

 

id say its the best game on the 3DS, and possibly one of the best RPG's ive ever played

[khilafah]

I am now at the last dungeon. hopefully clock it this weekend.

[Agent Gibbs]

I'm also just about to enter the last dungeon

Good luck

[khilafah]

I'm also just about to enter the last dungeon

Good luck

 

done it and was only at level 45. He was tough for sure but still had about 5 life bottles left.

 

Through the whole game I havent used a Msytic Arte either as I had no idea how to do them lol.

[Tales]

Btw, if you finish a major sidequest the final boss battle will be different and maybe there was something with the ending too. Or maybe that was Vesperia. But I think it was Abyss. I highly suggest doing it.

[drahkon]

Ordered it yesterday and I hope it will be delivered tomorrow. Can't wait to play a Tales of game again. Vesperia was my last one and I loved it.

 

This will finally make me turn on the 3DS again (besides Pullblox).

[Agent Gibbs]

Ordered it yesterday and I hope it will be delivered tomorrow. Can't wait to play a Tales of game again. Vesperia was my last one and I loved it.

 

This will finally make me turn on the 3DS again (besides Pullblox).

 

You won't put it down, since buying Tales of the Abyss, i've bought Resident evil revelations and MGS3, both of which i've switched on and tried, then gone back to finishing Tales of the Abyss!

 

One of my favourite JRPG's ever

[drahkon]

I've put almost 5 hours into it. Well, it's a Tales of game and I love it. Luke, however, is probably the most annyoing character in a video game I have ever seen.

 

Set the game to hard and it's quite a challenge. That's how I like my RPGs, though

 

Will play a bit later this evening. Looking forward to it.

[Guy]

So far this game is super standard Tales fare - great combat with a 15 year old fanfic grade story. The one thing that separates Abyss from all the others is me being unable to get over my hatred of Luke. It is impossible for me to feel anything for this guy except irritation at his shitty backstory, shitty hair, shitty attitude and his shitty whiny voice.

 

Sometimes I load the game up and enter random battles, only to then set the console down and watch as weak enemies proceed in smashing Luke to pieces. This is not a worthwhile use of my time, but it is incredibly theraputic.

 

Oh, and the Mieu thing calling it's name or yelling out EVERY TIME YOU HIT THE BUTTON? This is why people kill other people.

 

---

 

Man, looking back over the start of this thread I was super excited about getting my hands on this game. With it being unavailable in this region back when I was Tales crazy, I think I put it on some kind of unattainable tier of greatness in my mind that would only lead to disappointment.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Guy

[Sheikah]

Saw an Abyss and FFVII crossover fan video which I thought was pretty cool. Obviously playing both games needed to understand any of it. :p

 

[Agent Gibbs]

Thats really funny, even if it did bring back memories of Zack's slaughter

[Ike]

Didn't really get the FFVII references, but it was amusing none the less.

 

Reminded me I need to finish this though

[daftada]

I've just finished act 2 with about 55 hours on the clock and boy did those last few hours drag on. I'm finding it a bit of a chore now but I don't want to give up. How long is the third act?