Tales Series

Mind you, things seem to get confusing since while I think the zillion thing is correct, this video at around 50 seconds, features one of the Namdai american reps pronouncing it as Ex-illia, so is that the proper pronunciation? Who knows.

edited 1st Dec '15 6:55:18 PM by Alfric

The katakana clearly imply ex-xillia.

They could not have named it 'Exillia' without breaking the only-unused-letters unofficial rule (there is already an Eternia) But I can see the naming convention: (I have not seen the video, this is my opinion)

• Phantasia: Because of the medieval fantasy theme.
• Destiny: It was Stahn's 'destiny' to become Dymlos' master?
• Eternia: The world they live in, split into Inferia / Celestia.
• Symphonia: The 'harmony' between Sylvarant and Tethealla.
• Rebirth: Claire and Agarte's 'rebirth' after their little switcharoo fiasco?
• Legendia: Plot involves 'legends' from the Relares civilization.
• Abyss: Because of the Replica Factory of the Abyss?
• Vesperia: 'The brightest star in the sky': Brave Vesperia.
• Tempest: I recall the 'Tempest' being an actual storm that protected some location... I just can recall where or how...
• Innocence: All the party members (all Devalokans actually) were reborn, thus becoming 'innocent' again?
• Hearts: Plot is closely related to hearts and emotions.
• Graces: No clue here...
• Xillia: Already discussed: the sensible and nonsensical explanations.
• Zestiria: The 'zest' for adventure? It's kinda grasping at straws... but well.

About Zestiria: So it seems that what makes you a Hellion is your mental state and not your actions. I will go with that. Rose is perfectly sane at all times (but don't mention ghosts near her...) and the Medusa was already cuckoo by the point they were considering a mercy kill. Only to make it clear: I dont like OR dislike Rose. She has failed until now to make me feel either way, she is just meh. I am waiting to finish watching Split's playlist until I form my opinion.

Wait wait. MALTRAN is a boss? I Knew It!. Totally friggin' called it.

edited 2nd Dec '15 1:54:41 AM by FlightMaster

Vesperia is derived from the Latin name for the evening star

In addition to the name every game also gets a genre tag line that gets tossed around in promo stuff.

• Phantasia: didn't have one it was based off a fantasy novel manuscript named Tales Fantasia hence the name.
• Destiny: RPG of Destiny.
• Eternia: RPG of Eternity and Bonds.
• Destiny 2: RPG to Release Destiny.
• Symphonia: To Resonate With You RPG.
• Rebirth: RPG Where You Will Be Reborn.
• Legendia: RPG Where Bonds Spin Legends.
• Abyss: To Know the Meaning of One's Birth RPG.
• Innocence: RPG To Tie Thoughts Together.
• Vesperia: RPG to Enforce "Justice".
• Hearts: A Meeting Between Hearts RPG.
• Graces: RPG to Know the Strength to Protect.
• Xillia: RPG of Unwavering Convictions.
• Xillia 2: An RPG where your choices spin the future.
• Zestiria: RPG of Passion Lighting the World.

Xillia was first titled Xillion before being changed, the name was just a reference to a huge number. To point to in life there are many encounters, many people and many stories yours is just one. Xillia 2 drove this home more than 1 did.

Graces's name came up in the F arc about Asbel, I can not remember exactly what skit it was and what exactly it was aside from they equated graces to virtues.

edited 2nd Dec '15 4:07:32 AM by Memers

But then you get the side games.

Obvious shit is "VS", "The World" and "The Heroes: Twin Brave" (Twin Brave because you have a partner with you and all that) but then there's "Asteria"

...I'd been under the assumption that they were just the respective world's names.

There's also the Japanese cell phone games like Tales of Link, which has a very pretty opening.

I love watching Vesperia solo runs. It seems to me to have one of the most exploitable battle systems in the series.

Radiant Mythology stuff: Well, it happens that the 3 new areas near Doplund have enemies at an average of level 30, and I arrived there at 23. I have burned myself grinding (if you want to level up in an efficient manner you must tough it up and fight solo) and I will go back to this file, but not anytime soon.

Overall, I am a lot better than the first time. I did not know the combos, the little tricks, played the Swordsman like a noob (Lloyd is a bit TOO user-friendly) and thought 'Free Run' was some kind of diet cola. Lol.

Zestiria stuff: After watching the Shepherd and his painfully mediocre female tag-along recruit a bunch of Lords of Land and watching Earthen Historia home videos (Rose is only useful out of battle because of her contacts, right? What was the last time she contacted her guild? HOURS ago.) they are finally going back to Hyland! I get to see Alisha again, joy and happiness! Someone with a semblance of Plot Importance! (I keep understanding those angry japos better and better the further I get into the game...)

edited 6th Dec '15 9:46:30 AM by FlightMaster

I must be crazy because I like both characters. Hey Master you would get to see Alisha slap Rose in the DLC.

Instant fan of Velvet from Berseria, but I'm worried we might get Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy in the story.

I hope not. Tales games aren't usually that dark. I mean, things can get pretty depressing at times, depending on the game, but they don't seem to end any worse than bittersweet. Even when things do get dark, there's always some sense of idealism. I'd hate for that to change too much.

edited 7th Dec '15 1:07:32 PM by SapphireBlue

Yeah at most she might be a cold Tsundere like Milla who softens over time.

edited 7th Dec '15 1:13:09 PM by Memers

Berseria may be different, though. We've never had a female main character be this hardcore before.

Milla was never a tsundere. She was always pretty nice.

X2's Milla kinda fits.

I don't think we've had any main character be like this, male or female. But I think we'll need to hear more about the story, the premise, and the other characters before it's fair to make assumptions.

Berseria makes me think 'berserk', so I expect Velvet or someone else to go on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge.

Watched videos up to the Water Trial. Most of the footage is fluff or sidequests, so it goes pretty fast if you just want the plot stuff. They raise interesting points:

• Asura is the Water boss and as the guardian says, a previous Shepherd. Why did he become like that? He was a man so focused on his mission he never noticed all the malevolence surrounding his acts. He came to the same conclusion as most nihilist baddies: the only true way to purify the world is to erase it and start anew. He exists to show us that a Light so bright is as blinding as the deepest stain of Darkness (oh, I'm so poetic.)

• Maltran I knew this lady was gonna be fightable the moment I saw her. I was not wrong. She resembles Victoria a lot (spear user, in a position of authority, teacher to one of the heroes, those BAZONGAS...) but also to Emeraude... in the sense that their betrayals came out of fucking nowhere. You are telling me this woman was a hellion in disguise and in cahoots with the Lord of Calamity from the very start? There was no foreshadowing at all! It's like Namco said 'hey we don't have a traitor planned yet' > 'okay, let's take this woman the players just met / have no reason to suspect and make her evil and shit'. As I said about Graces' case, that's BAD writing.

From the looks of it, there is another evil female I am yet to meet: Symmone... she seems to be the purple haired creepy child looking down on us as we left the Shrinechurch. At least that scene sets her up to be suspicious at minimun.

Edna: So the remaining trials are Woosh / Badonk. (Dezel: Don't you mean Wind / Earth?)

I didn't know Edna was a fan of Dragon Quest and its funky spell names.

edited 9th Dec '15 9:07:59 AM by FlightMaster

There was a sidequest about someone who saw her in battle and it was all suspicious and stuff.

Yeah, there's a guy in Lastonbell, I think? And he talks a bunch of stuff about her.

I finally figured out how to unlock the pre-order content for Zestiria. And the first one has Alisha and Rose already being chummy with each other...even though I'm only at the Trial of Fire.

When's the earliest I can watch them without getting spoiled?

Not until well past the halfway point of the game.

I don't know how far that is.

I wouldn't really recommend watching any of them until you're on your way to the final showdown with Heldalf (meaning, when you get to Camlann). Most of them are harmless, but there are others that casually spoil things.