Release dates [GC]:
Release dates [PS2]:
Japan: 22/09/04
Tales of Symphonia is a very fun RPG, and one of the few decent ones available on the Nintendo Gamecube. So far, there is no release date for the PS2 version outside of Japan.
The main character of the game is Lloyd, a very earnest young chap. His friend Colette is the Chosen, which means that she must regenerate the world and get rid of the Desians. The Desians are an organisation mainly made up of half-elves who despise humans and use human labour for their own needs. So they, along with some other companions, set out to regenerate the world. However they soon find out it isn't that simple. There is another world, which vies for the mana needed to revitalise the world. It turns out that nothing is what it seems, and Lloyd and friends get pulled into a struggle to save both worlds.
Battles take place in real time 3D, and you can control any one of the nine playable characters. They all have different skills and attributes. Your relationships with the other characters depends on how you respond to them, and your choices will have quite a profound effect later in the game. Aside from the main story line there are a lot of mini-games and side quests, providing several reasons to play the game through at least once. Acquiring costumes, titles and recipes are but a few examples.
The game is presented with beautiful anime-style cel-shaded graphics, as well as convincing voiceover talent. With around 80 hours of gameplay, an ever-evolving storyline and a whole host of interesting non-playable characters, Tales of Symphonia is one of the most engaging and addictive RPGs I've had the privilege of playing.
©KOSUKE FUJISHIMA. TALES OF SYMPHONIA™ & ©2003 NAMCO LTD., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ™, ® and Nintendo GameCube are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2001 Nintendo. Layout ©2005-2008 Emma. Content ©2005-2008 Emma & FairyV.
