GayForMaster
Banned
*Phew* I can play this game.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Tales of Hearts R |OT| With Our Vitas Combined
- Thread starter orthodoxy1095
- Start date
*Phew* I can play this game.
I don't know if there is a consensus, but for me, it's the best Tales of game in recent history.
It's better than Vesperia? :O might have to check this
Shouta
Member
No, it really isn't, lol. It's a quaint title, perhaps good but best of the recent tales? No way.
Well, Vesperia was generally deemed a fun classical JRPG back when it was released. Hearts R scratches similar itches while the other recent Tales games all moved on.
Acquiescence
Member
I'm playing through this right now and it's ace. Good clean fun.
That is all.
That is all.
I can agree on that. I liked Vesperia, Graces F and Xillia, but had a lot of fun with Hearts R, more than with any of those titles.
To me, on the same level of Eternia, a fun, old-school RPG. Better than Xillia, Graces F, Legendia and Symphonia. Worse than Vesperia, Destiny and Destiny 2,
I too had a blast with this game, I really had a fun time from start to finish with this game. I guess my only complaint would be the random encounters. I have really grown tired of that in JRPGs, but it was still great and I will have to replay/do some more stuff in the game later.
I disagree, it was better than xillia, Graces, and legendia, but Symphonia was better.
Shouta
Member
This is true but I think Hearts R has a ton of issues that really hold it back. Poor graphics, additional voice-acting is really meh, the story composition feels disjointed, the scene composition is really stilted, etc. Then there are issues with the localization that are really annoying as well.
Is it better than the rest of the Tales games? Definitely not. Is it enjoyable? Sure.
Maybe all these contributed to the "classical JRPG" feeling as well? =D
I think it's unfair to knock it for it's graphics when the PS3 titles themselves are especially underwhelming as well. My biggest complaint is that there were several lines of dialogue that they just completely missed translating, you hear the spoken lines without any text a handful of times in the game. I still rank it behind Tales of Destiny 1, Vesperia, and Abyss in my opinion.
Could you go into more detail on this? I'm enjoying the game so far, and most of the issues the game has seem pretty minor.
Shouta
Member
There's a disgusted gif somewhere that might be appropriate for this situation.
No way. The PS3 titles have graphics that are very much acceptable for the platform. It may not be the best but they're still very respectable and nice looking because of the stuff like the animation.
Hearts R looks bad compared to other Vita RPGs and even the PS2 ports. The models are are OK but there's no effort in the animation, how the scenes move, and the environments themselves. It's not even a decent quality repeating port. ;_;
I'm having fun as well but the technicals are just bad. The characters move around cut scenes like robots and the blocking of interactions is stiff. They'll move to one spot and then do something while everyone else will stand there occasionally adding something else, in like a sword clash. Camera angles occasionally change but are usually static ocne a scene gets going, no panning or whatever.
Compare this first scene in Hearts R
http://youtu.be/n5uz_MPkhts?t=7m59s
to
The first in-game cutscene for Jude in Xillia.
http://youtu.be/N0aTh7RcyT4?t=5m14s
There are other things too like the story feeling really rushed at the start and all of the characters just join without any fanfare, the voice acting feels really off despite being the original VAs and seasoned vets too. There's an annoying issue where if a voice clip starts playing and you forward the text the clip will still continue to play desptie it being on the next line.
Haha. Point was none of that really affects the fun one can have with the gameplay.
To be honest I'm pleasantly surprised with how many people can enjoy the game despite the obvious cheapness of both the remake itself and the localization. To me it shows that Bandai Namco threw away quite some opportunities by foregoing the two stable design schools up till Vesperia for a single line of more experimental modern Tales games with arguable higher production quality that don't quite satisfy fans of the earlier games. Just a shame Hearts R is not an original game (and thus tanked in Japan), I wish 7th Chord got to do some, they clearly got an audience there.
Shouta
Member
Which is fine. I really enjoy Legendia even though most people don't but i do recognize that the other games released at the time were better games technically. Aside from music and maybe the arts mocap, lol.
Same with Hearts R. It's enjoyable but in no way is it the best recent Tales games. Just too many "objective" issues with it.
Same with Hearts R. It's enjoyable but in no way is it the best recent Tales games. Just too many "objective" issues with it.
Maybe they should have just stuck with a 3/4ths overhead camera angle like old JRPGs and Tales games to invoke that classic RPG feeling/nostalgia instead? I really don't mind it at all when the camera distances itself from the characters like that for most of the game, it lets my imagination fill in the blanks better than relatively close up and cinematic shots of very static conversations with low-budget animation.
Shouta
Member
That probably would've been preferable, yeah.
I agree with you on all of that. I think the voice clips continuing to play after skipping a line is the worst. Some of the scenes are kinda amusing when I skip text and the character is still talking during an animation. Some of the cutscene animations are kinda weird, too. Why does Beryl do the chicken dance so much?
I'm glad the game seems to be enjoyable despite its flaws, though.
bananafactory
Banned
My game audio is Japanese. Is there a setting that I missed? Did I buy the wrong version by accident? Am I just dumb?
bananafactory
Banned
Balls. I didn't know that.
Gonna take some getting used to but I'll try to get past it. It's super jarring right now.
This thread has some decent impressions, so I suggest that you read it. I would have shared impressions if I had actually started this. From what I have read, the game isn't half bad even if there are some flaws.
Hearts R is a rather good Tales to start as it allows to go back to Vesperia afterward and then do the Tales games in chronological order. The game itself is fine, surprisingly many positive impressions considering most valuations before the localization were actually more on the negative side based on it being a rather liberal remake of the well liked (but Japan only) DS original.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Hopefully you got the impressions you needed by reading the thread, but I'd say it's worth it. It's a pretty enjoyable game. The story isn't too special, but the characters in the story are fun and lovable. I personally found the gameplay really quite entertaining (I'm a Tales noob though).
I was actually a bit worried about the game as the release date was getting closer and since I read some mixed impressions about the game. TBH I was considering if I should cancel my pre-order.
Glad I didn't. I mean, the original DS game may be better, but it wasn't released here and the fantranslation is not releasing anytime soon (they stopped after the localization announcement). So I'm glad I bought this version and I thank Bamco since they even bothered printing some retail units and translated the game in my native lenguage.
Yeah, the battle system is fun, the old school flavour is nice for a change and the characters are a lovable bunch of people.
Seven Force
Banned
I bought this on Friday, and am enjoying it far, far more than I thought I would, considering the import impressions didn't sound too hot. I was a little peeved that the battle system wasn't as flashy or exciting as in the original DS version, but those concerns flew out the window once I got the hang of Chase Links. It feels like a PS1 era RPG on a modern platform, and I couldn't be enjoying myself more. It's actually kinda rekindled my love of the series, considering Xillia was boring enough that I just stopped playing Tales for a while.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
The bolded is absolutely why I think many of us enjoyed the game. Such a nostalgic yet refreshing game. Glad you're enjoying it!
I've only played the DS version of Hearts and I recently played Tales of Innocence R and thought that was a step up from the original DS title. I actually liked Innocence more than Hearts when it was on the DS and I'm hoping this game would beat expectations?
I've yet to pick up Hearts but is it worth it, at least in comparison to DS or Innocence R. I surprisingly enjoyed Innocence R thus considering Hearts R.
I've yet to pick up Hearts but is it worth it, at least in comparison to DS or Innocence R. I surprisingly enjoyed Innocence R thus considering Hearts R.
Also apparently there's a hidden movie that makes Hearts R part of Phantasia/Symphonia canon? Might be worth it for that alone?
Being by the same developer Hearts R builds upon and improves plenty of the mechanics in Innocence R, so if you liked the latter and want more of that kind you can do no wrong with Hearts R imo.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
In regards to the spoiler, I have no idea. I want to know more now.
He's likely mistaking it with the ham-fisted dimensional connection between Innocence, Hearts and Tempest that led to the newly added original characters...
That's probably it. There was no secret in the original versions and I've yet to finish Innocence R so I'm just going off misinformation then.
Isn't Tempest no longer a flagship title and retconned to a side game?
Tempest is the reason they started doing that distinction in the first place.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Oh yeah, well whatever then
Liferebooted
Banned
bought this a week ago but I think I'm going to put it off til I cant afford a ps tv. I just can't find a comfortable position to play a handheld in =\
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Is the Vita uncomfortable for you in general? Or is it just playing this game?
The bolded is absolutely why I think many of us enjoyed the game. Such a nostalgic yet refreshing game. Glad you're enjoying it!
Have you ever played Ar nosurge ? Go play it.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
I haven't and I feel bad about it. I've been kind of scared off because I've heard people talk about the necessity of reading wikis to get the story in the latest game.
Liferebooted
Banned
Playing the vita and 3ds. I just find it annoying having to be sitting up in a chair for a handheld. I prefer to lay in my bed with them but then it just feels weird. =\
How about... laying on the couch? I never played a handheld sitting in a chair lol. You could also buy a grip for your Vita.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
My go-to position is usually laying on my side or stomach in bed or on a couch. I wish you could find your own position that worked
Just started playing and got through the mines. What the hell? Why didn't anyone tell me the battle system is basically playing Dante in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3? I was expecting blandness or bad design based on the negative attitude importers seemed to have about it but damn is this fun. I've never played the DS game, but what I've got in my hands right now is super solid so far.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
I think many of the importers were familiar with the DS version, and for whatever reason, many of them prefer that version. I've never played it, so I can't say if they're right, but I know that I enjoyed the hell of this version. It's just plain fun.
AkelisRain
Member
Am I close to finishing the story? I just reached
. Really enjoying this game between juggling other games as well.
Cind'rella
Shouta
Member
Finished this a few nights ago. OK remake overall but definitely felt like they could have done it better to make it even better than the original. The original's content really shines through despite everything. Gall really helped a lot though, I think. Natural fit though his introduction is just weird. That's probably the biggest improvement to the game, IMO.