The biggest shortcoming in my opinion of the GameCube is the lack of RPGs. Sure, we had THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: WIND WAKER and FINAL FANTASY: CRYSTAL CHRONICLES, but besides that, we really haven't seen too many RPGs appear on the system. Well, luckily for GameCube owners, the RPGs that are on the system are above and beyond, and the newest one from Namco, TALES OF SYMPHONIA, adds another instant classic to the list.
TALES OF SYMPHONIA is set in the land of Sylvarant, a land that needs a constant supply of mana to keep everything running. When the mana levels begin to wane and the hardship sets in, they set their hopes upon the Chosen One, the one who must "regenerate" the world. You play as Lloyd Irving, a teenage boy, who sets out with the Chosen One, along with a small group that grows larger as the game progresses, to restore the world's mana.
One of the things I like a lot about TALES OF SYMPHONIA is that there aren't random enemy encounters, such as you'll find in the FINAL FANTASY series. You won't be just walking around and immediately find yourself in a battle with enemies that just randomly spawned. Enemies can normally be seen on screen represented by strange anomalies that represent a group of creatures. Most of these you can avoid, as some sit still; others will charge right at you. But don't try to avoid all of these creatures or you'll find yourself up against a boss that will beat you into tomorrow.
TALES OF SYMPHONIA uses a real-time 2D battle system. Unlike most turn based games, TALES gives you the option to move around the field and battle enemies at will. And while the battlefield is 3D, you can only go forward and back towards your targeted enemy. You control the main character Lloyd, and the computer controls the other characters on-screen, although you can give commands to them as well. It may seem confusing at first, but after a while, it feels quite natural. Battles may start off slow, but they progress quickly where you'll be battling for your life with many split decisions.
When you're not fighting your way through dungeons or wherever, you'll be solving a lot of normally simple puzzles that allow you to progress through the game. As you progress through the game, you'll come across many towns and people to speak with. While you are able to speak with these townspeople, you'll also be able to converse with your own party, in normally comedic sequences that can be brought up by the Z button. The scenes normally consist of just talking pictures, and while they are optional, these scenes flesh out the storyline and relationships found in the game.
Also, just like FINAL FANTASY: CRYSTAL CHRONICLES, TALES OF SYMPHONIA supports up to four players, allowing each person to control one of the characters instead of the computer controlling the other three. This is when the game is the most fun (and sometimes infuriating).
Visually, TALES OF SYMPHONIA is superb. The cel-shaded visuals look beautiful, as does the stunning anime sequences scattered throughout the game. The soundtrack is also a very bright spot for the game, as is the voice acting (is it just me, or is that Liquid Snake from METAL GEAR SOLID playing the voice of Kratos?)
While it was a long time coming, TALES OF SYMPHONIA was definitely worth the wait. GameCube owners should feel lucky to get this one first and be able to explore a beautifully designed game.
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