Tales of the Abyss
The story in Tales of the Abyss can get fairly complex so I'll spare you the minute details in order to keep things moving along here. Basically you play as this kid named Luke Fon Fabre who is the son of Duke Fabre and lives in the Kimlasca Kingdom. When he was ten he was kidnapped by the Malkuth Empire and only recently returned to his kingdom. As is the case with many RPGs Luke is basically the chosen one who will bring prosperity to the land. Fortunately the story goes well beyond the cliché of a foretold hero despite the fact that Luke has a little bit of amnesia thrown in for good measure.
Throughout the game the story doesn't skip a beat and it's a world filled with interesting characters and rich history. The good news is that the rest of the game is just about as deep and provides a rich experience for RPG fans. Even if you haven't played a single title within the Tales franchise you can still pick up and play this one and enjoy it just the same. Namco's Tales Studio put together a great RPG with Tales of the Abyss and it's one that PS2 gamers should keep an eye out for.
Gameplay:
In the vast genre of role-playing games there seem to be two driving forces of gameplay. Some titles pit you against random battles that pop out of the blue on the world map while others show you the enemy and give you a chance to avoid them if you want; Tales of the Abyss is the latter.
As you walk through each environment you don't have to worry about invisible boogiemen lurking around the corner. Instead, enemies appear as cutesy critters that make an attempt to run at you when they spot you. This means that you can get the drop on them if you catch them off guard but also means that if you're not paying attention you can find yourself getting rear ended. I personally enjoy both gameplay concepts but feel that the random battle is overplayed so it's nice to have a change of pace.
Once you get into combat things are also a little different compared to other RPG series. If you have played other Tales games then you can already expect to have the linear combat system that those games have employed. The only twist here is that you'll also learn a skill called "Free Run" that really lets you open up the playing field and freely run around instead of standing in a straight line. The effect gives the game a feeling that it's a hybrid between Star Ocean and Tales which needless to say works very much in its favor.
Now, the thing you should know if you are new to the series is that combat isn't turn-based like typical RPGs. It's based on real time in revolves around you pressing attack buttons as well as being defensive when need be. The X button unleashes a normal attack that can be changed depending on the direction you press on the controller. The Square button defends you but doesn't entirely eliminate damage that will be inflicted upon you. Special techniques called Artes are used by pressing the O button and a direction just like the regular attacks. By combining each of these Tales of the Abyss allows you to string together combos and truly explore the system beyond what other franchises do. This is one of the main draws to the Tales series for me and Abyss handles it wonderfully.
Naturally you gain experience and skill points through battle which can then be applied to leveling up your character and unlocking new abilities. This is nothing new obviously. Also not new to the genre is the ability to create items that have status effects on your characters. The Tales series handles this by giving your characters the ability to cook. By collecting various ingredients from the world map, from battles and by completing certain tasks, you can cook up something new for your party to eat. It's an interesting and worthwhile mini-game of sorts that really pays off in the end when you're in desperate need of something.
Another thing that the Tales series has done in the past that returns with Abyss is the inclusion of Skits. In new locations and at specific times you will be prompted to view an optional conversation between members of your party. While these bits detract from the pace of crawling through a dungeon they add a ton of character development and even some insight into what's going on in the story. I've always enjoyed these moments simply because of the way they flesh out the world. Skits are a key element to the success of Tales of the Abyss' plot and truly help in keeping it from becoming cliché.
Otherwise the story progresses as you'd expect with an RPG. As you journey from town to town and talk to people you'll learn more about what's going on and new objectives will trickle down through the wire. Often times you have to hit a particular point or talk to a key person in order to progress in the game. Because of this the game can be somewhat linear at times though there is always a side mission that you can undertake to see the world more. In most cases these tidbits change the environment around you in some manner. It helps make the game more immersive than most RPGs though there are times where your progression is blocked and you are forced to do certain things before you can move on.
In the end Tales of the Abyss is a great addition to Namco's franchise and one that fans will undoubtedly want to check out. The combat is refreshing even though it boils down to a button-mashing affair at times. It's the way that the rest of the game comes together that really sells the package. The varying features compliment each other so well and really showcase how this series has been running for ten years now. This is a solid RPG that deserves a spot in your collection.
Graphics:
With character designs by Kosuke Fujishima Tales of the Abyss resembles Phantasia and Symphonia, which were other installments that he worked on. The result of his artwork gives the game the look of a polished anime though to be fair this effect seems limited to the characters. Environments harbor some nice detail but occasionally there is a drop off in design quality that just doesn't match the rest of the game. Don't get me wrong, this is a beautiful game from start to finish; it's just that there could have been more consistency throughout.
Slowdown is another area where some points are shaved from Abyss' score. At times while walking through a town or the overworld map the framerate drops to a very noticeable degree. It doesn't completely kill the experience but it's not exactly a positive feature.
Audio:
Just like the graphics, the audio for Tales of the Abyss is charming and impressive. The soundtrack is amazing with fantastic scores that capture the moment and inspire. I didn't get sick of the music at all which is an accomplishment. The voice acting is easily the best feature to be had when it comes to the sound though. Hour upon hour of voiceovers were recorded for this game and from start to finish I didn't have a single problem with the quality whatsoever. I only wish that the voice acting was included in with the skits though.
Conclusion:
Tales of the Abyss is a solid RPG and quite possibly one of the best installments in the Tales franchise. Namco outdid themselves with this title and any RPG fan looking for something to drop over 60 hours on will fall in love. The tale is rich, the world is beautiful and the combat system is for the most part constantly upbeat and exciting. Some issues like button mashing and slowdown hurt things a bit but overall this is a great experience from beginning to end. Add this one to your holiday wish lists.