Now, THIS is a much more balanced review: it points out both the flaws and strengths of the game. A review is meant to inform people of facts, not just the reviewers' opinions.
I have to disagree on something, though: while in general the storytelling in To L is very good, the central conceit of the story ( the fact that the Ferines were the native race of the planet, and that all the lands of the planet were raised from the ocean by the immigrating humans) is pretty hard to swallow, especially since, if there was no land, the Ferines would not have evolved legs or other such humanoid traits.)
Similarly, it's a bit hard to believe what Grune's and Shwartz's roles were during the Character Quests; neither seemed to be as important as they claimed, nor (that I remember) was Grune's amnesia and weakness explained.
But while the basics of the story has flaws, in general the presentation of it- the characterization, the pacing, the PC interaction, etc.- was very good and enjoyable. I wish more games were like To L in that respect.
Looking back on this game, what I liked the most about it was its scope; not just in the everything's-at-stake fashion, but in the fact that they took the time to really flesh out EVERY playable character, in the multiple arcs that deal with several different cultures, scenarios and ideas, and the fact that it ran the full gamut of emotions (funny to dramatic to sad to genuinely joyful and beyond). Music was aces too. Legendia proved to me that you can realize that something is not great, be able to name all its flaws, what bugged you, infuriated you and even concede points to its biggest contractors, and yet still have it possess a special place in your heart nonetheless.
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RPG Storytelling at its Finest
Tales of Legendia isn't like its fellow Tales games. It didn't introduce any groundbreaking mechanics, and it didn't set many standards for future installments in the Tales series. However, what it lacked in flashy gameplay, it made up for in storytelling, character development, and music.
Legendia's battle system keeps the Tales series' unique real-time combat, but keeps it on one-line, like the earlier installments in the series. It's still intuitive, fast-paced, and fun, but it's a downgrade from its predecessor, Symphonia. The overworld mechanics are also different- you walk around the world map and open up instant-access portals to each location you reach, instead of getting an airship late in the game. Instead of several scattered cities, there's a single large city functioning as a central hub. The dungeons are spaced far apart, and are very linear. If you're new to the Tales series, you'll probably enjoy the mechanics more than if you've played Symphonia or Abyss beforehand.
Where the game really shines is its storytelling. The writers went out of their way to create an interesting plot that's both familiar and new. The dialog is clever and witty, and the characterization is excellent. The RPG genre has a tendency to be dark and heavy. Legendia is serious when it needs to be, but it's usually a very upbeat game, full of vibrant colors, energetic songs, and fun, well-written characters. Every character is believable, realistically flawed, and has an intricate backstory, and they all get their time in the spotlight during the Character Quests portion of the game following the Main Quest. The character quests aren't voice-acted and don't introduce new dungeons, but are still worth playing for the insight offered into each individual character.
Also worth noting are the graphics and soundtrack. While the character models are super-deformed and a bit awkward, the dungeons are absolutely beautiful. The colors are bright and vibrant, and the backgrounds are extremely detailed. The soundtrack, composed by Go Shiina, is one of the most impressive aspects of the game, and uses a variety of musical styles, techniques, and instruments to match the events flawlessly. Many songs are fully orchestrated, and some have choirs.
Overall, Tales of Legendia is a solid RPG. If you like games with great storytelling, it's worth looking into.