One of the most acclaimed installments in Namco’s long-running series, Tales of Symphonia can be considered a classic. Indeed, it’s easy to forget that this game is almost 20 years old. Tales of Symphonia Remastered shows that this adventure actually works surprisingly well.
The storytelling is a bit shabby, and some gameplay elements like world map travel aren’t aged well, but the main characters are still a fun bunch, the journeys themselves are always fun, and the combat system is solid .
The plot is all about “The Chosen One” — uh, uh Was chosen A person who goes on a pilgrimage to save the world. In this case, the Chosen One is a girl named Colette, who happens to be the childhood friend of protagonist Lloyd, a reckless youth who comes across the role of Colette’s guardian when she sets out on a quest. The story has a cliché, but Lloyd and the gang tell the story. They’re a truly adorable group, and there’s great chemistry between them thanks to their sharp, often comedic writing.
Of course, party members are also key to combat. With an emphasis on combos, quick moves, and diverse fighting styles, Symphonia has undoubtedly laid the foundation for his upcoming Tales title. By today’s standards, it’s a relatively basic system and the controls are perhaps a little stiff, but killing monsters is still satisfying. Once you learn to lock down and time your attacks correctly, the fight has a really fun flow.
Given how well Symphonia has aged as a whole, it’s a shame that this remaster feels bare bones. Aside from the obvious resolution increase, the visual improvements are minimal, and the muddy environmental textures and backgrounds still betray the pop art style. Even the menus seem barely enhanced, as text, icons, and character portraits can remain rather blurry. and the frequent loading screens can be just a tad too long — even if you’re playing on PS5 via backwards compatibility.
Nearly 20 years later, Tales of Symphonia Remastered is a reminder of how well-crafted the original GameCube and PS2 titles were. Aside from a few rough edges, this is a great action RPG full of charm and character. The only real downside is that the remaster itself leaves a lot to be desired.
