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LTTP: Tales of the Abyss
- Thread starter Like the hat?
- Start date
Not really. I like becoming invested in RPG worlds seeing as they're only really the type of game I play.
It would have been nice to have a in-game dictionary though, but watevs.
Also, how can anybody NOT like Jade? Sheesh.
By the way, Fields of Fonons in battle may seem useless at first, but they can become really versatile later in the game if you experiment with them a little.
The Mana Legend
Banned
Tales games are believable by giving you a million terms that they rarely explain and do such a bad job of doing so that you have to WRITE IT DOWN because that's the only way to remember it otherwise?
Yes, bad writing. You're not going to get me to buy into a world by giving me a whole bunch of poorly explained terms with really stupid names.
Magicpaint
Member
Jade is that way he is, because IS the necromancer; nothing assholish about that, imo. It's really nice to have a cast member who actually knows so much shit but at the same time manages to be very rational and cool headed --- you rarely get that combination in JRPGs. Vesperia has Rita who is far more offensive than any cast member in Abyss. Vesperia characters range from bland to horrible. Yuri and Raven are the only decent characters in that cast.
Everything's explained in the narrative. You just have to pay attention. I know that not everyone wants to invest that sort of effort when they're playing a game, but that doesn't make the writing objectively poor. Sorry it wasn't your thing, though.
patrickthehedgehog
Member
I was kind of surprised that the skits didn't have voice overs after playing Vesperia. I just started this game on my lunch break so I'm looking forward to seeing where I stand on this game with all the differing opinions!
The Mana Legend
Banned
Except the way every Tales game explains their terrible terms IS awful. They half-assly explain it once, in some really lame conversation at the beginning usually, then pile on a bunch of other terms until we start losing all of the other ones. Then they throw them all together, and it just becomes one awful mess.
It does make the writing objectively poor, especially considering, not including the terms themselves, the writing isn't even good to begin with.
QisTopTier
XisBannedTier
My friend said they do in the Japanese version...
Spieler Eins
Member
oh, just finished this like a couple of hours ago. 40 h playtime.
A very enjoyable game, at least on the 3DS without ridiculous loading times. Battlesystem is addicting as usual, the OST is amazing, as is the art style. The story isn't as grand and convoluted as others, but at least it's something different and I usually wanted to know what happens next. Characters are good for the most part. What do I see here, hating on Jade? No, just no. Dude was absolutely great.
I guess it's too hard on the backtracking, though it gets quick travel at some point at least.
A very enjoyable game, at least on the 3DS without ridiculous loading times. Battlesystem is addicting as usual, the OST is amazing, as is the art style. The story isn't as grand and convoluted as others, but at least it's something different and I usually wanted to know what happens next. Characters are good for the most part. What do I see here, hating on Jade? No, just no. Dude was absolutely great.
I guess it's too hard on the backtracking, though it gets quick travel at some point at least.
Nocturnowl
Member
I just couldn't finish this one, it's a solid outing but the plot with enough gibberish terms to leave me bamboozled as to what characters are even on about combined with a central cast of mostly unlikeable fellows wore down my ability to play through the game, I think I was around 26 hours in.
Jade was the only character I really enjoyed, Tear was okay, the rest are varying degrees of bland or horrible. And Ion is just URRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!
Oh but it plays well enough, the field of fonon thing in battles is kind of lame though, a nice idea but feels too situational. Music is simple "there" with nothing really memorable, anyway i'll speak no more as to avoid any spoilers, i'm making it sound a lot worse than it actually is.
Jade was the only character I really enjoyed, Tear was okay, the rest are varying degrees of bland or horrible. And Ion is just URRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!
Oh but it plays well enough, the field of fonon thing in battles is kind of lame though, a nice idea but feels too situational. Music is simple "there" with nothing really memorable, anyway i'll speak no more as to avoid any spoilers, i'm making it sound a lot worse than it actually is.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Too much backtracking. Anise sucks.
Tear is queen badass! I will not have her maligned!
Tear is queen badass! I will not have her maligned!
The game doesn't hold back with the terminology, but Fonons are seriously not that complicated. They're just the elemental particles that are the building blocks of life and matter. Think atoms.
I had assumed he was talking about Ion and was confused about his gender. If he was talking about Tear, I will rise to arms with you.
I had assumed he was talking about Ion and was confused about his gender. If he was talking about Tear, I will rise to arms with you.
I didn't have any trouble following the terminology as it was introduced, and I feel stuff like that adds to the atmosphere of a setting. (Though I'll concede that having something like the glossary in the Xenosaga games, where definitions for unique terms would be added automatically as they came up in the game, would be cool. That sort of thing's handy both for people like me who enjoy the lore, and people who are just trying to keep track of it all.)
I also don't think that the writing is particularly poor overall, so I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.
chickdigger802
Banned
I like luke. He's realistic enough. He gets pampered by family. Treated like shit from his party. So he naturally acts accordingly.
I mean, the lore of the game is retarded, and I'm glad luke acknowledges it.
I mean, the lore of the game is retarded, and I'm glad luke acknowledges it.
I'm the insane one? Right.
Just because he decided to do it, huh? There are very obvious and logical reasons for his transformation.
Plus it doesn't just happen. Even after he decides to change you can still see hints of his old personality here and there. It does come off as pretty natural.
Mysterious Stranger
Member
The main character gets better in time. You'll see why.
I agree with this post entirely. I even got 26 hours in like you did!
Really didn't see the big deal. I expected a lot more based on the praise it gets.
I have never understood the hate for this game. My favorite Tales game of the ones I've played, by far. Some of the characters are annoying but I like where Luke went in the 2nd half, and Jade was perfect. His sarcastic delivery of pretty much everything he says is gold.
Also, I really don't get how people hate the main storyline in this game - especially compared to Tales of Vesperia (and Symphonia really). Those 2, to me, had ultra-cliche stories that bored me to tears. The big plot twist halfway through the game floored me and I loved what they did with it. I have never seen that done in any other game I have ever played (that kind of scenario). Anways, great game - I heartily recommend playing it but realize I'm in a sizeable minority here =)
Also, I really don't get how people hate the main storyline in this game - especially compared to Tales of Vesperia (and Symphonia really). Those 2, to me, had ultra-cliche stories that bored me to tears. The big plot twist halfway through the game floored me and I loved what they did with it. I have never seen that done in any other game I have ever played (that kind of scenario). Anways, great game - I heartily recommend playing it but realize I'm in a sizeable minority here =)
Justin Timberlake
Member
So I've heard the 3DS version has issues? Does anyone mind telling me what they are/if its bad enough to avoid playing altogether?
Also, does the game give you the option for Japanese VA? Cause I just youtube'd the English and I'm not sure I could bear 60-80 hrs of that.
Also, does the game give you the option for Japanese VA? Cause I just youtube'd the English and I'm not sure I could bear 60-80 hrs of that.
I didn't really notice any issues.
It's clearly the superior version. I can't think of anything wrong with this port.
RaySpencer
Member
So ive been playing this recently, and I am enjoying it quite a bit, but im wondering how much longer I have left. Ive played 30 hours so far, and im about to (story spoiler
. Am I semi close to the end? or not even half way? If im not even half way by now, I might never finish this game, haha.
talk to the dude whos at War with Lukes Uncle, so that we can lower the lands into the quithoth(sp?)
pancakesandsex
Member
It's true. They didn't redo the localization for the 3DS version, so it's the same as ps2.
Remind me what the plot twist is again? I'm fairly sure it didn't floor me.
And Luke's transition was too abrupt for my liking. And Tear's reaction to cute things was agonising. Jade was the only likable character to me, and he was a gigantic cliche.
The graphics are worse, as I recall.
So ive been playing this recently, and I am enjoying it quite a bit, but im wondering how much longer I have left. Ive played 30 hours so far, and im about to (story spoiler. Am I semi close to the end? or not even half way? If im not even half way by now, I might never finish this game, haha.talk to the dude whos at War with Lukes Uncle, so that we can lower the lands into the quithoth(sp?)
You're a little over halfway, if I recall correctly.
When you realize the world is being held up by pillars and that they are starting to be collapsed and fall to the Qliphoth(sp?) so the world is slowly falling into itself.
Well, I agree that it's never been done before that I can think of. But is that a twist? It seems more like a plot point. I guess the way it's happening (
As I recall, it's because of something Luke does?
Snowden's Secret
Banned
I played this on 3DS when it came out in February:
-I liked Tear and Jade, not really anyone else
-This was the first have in years where I literally laughed out loud while playing, and yes I played Portal 2
-I hate love sub plots that don't resolve until literally the last moment
-I beat this game and I still don't understand most of the gameplay systems
-The story does that Okami thing where they included the sequel
-I liked Tear and Jade, not really anyone else
-This was the first have in years where I literally laughed out loud while playing, and yes I played Portal 2
-I hate love sub plots that don't resolve until literally the last moment
-I beat this game and I still don't understand most of the gameplay systems
-The story does that Okami thing where they included the sequel
GayForMaster
Banned
The lack of multiplayer would be a flaw but I suppose that can't be helped since it's a port.
Eh I don't know what it technically is called but I remember being surprised and thought it was a unique/cool concept that the game basically ran with from that point on.
On a mostly unrelated note, I bought Graces when it released but haven't played it yet. I wonder how it will compare to this, for me.
On a mostly unrelated note, I bought Graces when it released but haven't played it yet. I wonder how it will compare to this, for me.
RaySpencer
Member
Thanks, I can deal with that. Great game so far.
Community Forum
Member
True story: I picked this up on 3DS because I thought it was Tales of Legendia, and it took me about an hour into the game to realize the horrible mistake I had made. <3 Legendia... Dat music.
The backtracking gets out of control, Anise is lame, and Luke's development makes him unlikeable for many different reasons across the game until the last 10 or so hours of the game, but I still liked Abyss a lot.
Hell, I liked it better than any Non-Vesperia Tales game released so far.
Hell, I liked it better than any Non-Vesperia Tales game released so far.
Magicpaint
Member
30 fps battles are not exactly ideal. Reminds me of Symphonia PS2 Vs GC.
Um lol? Did you not bother to look at the box?
IdreamofHIME
Member
The terminology is an annoying hurdle for sure. At the start of the game they just start talking about the religion, the countries and their rulers like you should already be up to speed with it all.
Little names and things skip by and become much more important later, which is annoying. Symphonia did that way too much too.
Little names and things skip by and become much more important later, which is annoying. Symphonia did that way too much too.
Community Forum
Member
Of course I saw the name, but in my head I was still thinking it was Legendia. Yah I know. Like when I was little and thought I had finally found a copy of Guardian Heroes on the Saturn, but what I brought home was Blazing Dragons. Total disappoint.
FormallyFamicom
Member
Been on a nice little Tales run this year (Abyss, DOTNW, Graces f) and really enjoyed this game. Played 80 hours and did pretty much everything you can do in one playthrough. Jade was my favorite character (Anise my least favorite), didn't mind post-haircut Luke, followed along with the story just fine. Would agree that the game felt a bit too long or just poorly paced. Don't really like it when games feel like they "end" three times.
FWIW I'd rank those three games like:
Gameplay: Graces f > Abyss > DOTNW
Story & Cast: Abyss > Graces f >>>>>> DOTNW
Nope, I didn't like DOTNW much at all.
FWIW I'd rank those three games like:
Gameplay: Graces f > Abyss > DOTNW
Story & Cast: Abyss > Graces f >>>>>> DOTNW
Nope, I didn't like DOTNW much at all.