Tales (role-playing game series)
Encyclopedia
The series is a franchise
of fantasy console role-playing games published by Namco Bandai Games
(formerly Namco
), and primarily developed by its subsidiary, Namco Tales Studio
. Created in 1994, the series now spans over twelve flagship titles, over fifteen side games, and four animated productions, into several types of game genres. Similar to many Japanese role-playing games in a series, most games or media of the series are unrelated to each other beyond certain elements.
Widely known for its heavy influence by anime and Japanese culture, the series often makes use of popular manga artists or illustrators, and animated cutscenes produced by Production I.G. Popular music composer Motoi Sakuraba
has composed for many titles of the series, with other well-known composers such as Go Shiina
having composed for at least one title of the series. Eleven entries have been localized for North America
and just eight for Europe
. As of December 2007, the series has sold over ten million copies.
Tales of Phantasia
is the first game in the series and was originally released in 1995 in Japan for the Super Famicom
. Later, it was remade for the PlayStation
(subsequently ported on the PlayStation Portable
system) and ported to the Game Boy Advance
. An enhanced port based on the GBA version is under development for the PlayStation Portable
. The game was given the characteristic genre name and followed the quest of a young swordsman named Cress Albane and his best friend, Chester Burklight, on a journey to defeat Dhaos and save their Tree of Life.
Tales of Destiny
is the second game in the series and was originally released in 1997 on the PlayStation
. It was later remade for the PlayStation 2
in 2006 with a Director's Cut of the game being released in 2008. The game bears the characteristic genre name and follows the tale of a country-boy-turned-adventurer Stahn Aileron, who seeks fame and adventure.
Tales of Eternia
, known as Tales of Destiny II in North America, is the third game in the series and was originally released in 2000 on the PlayStation
. Despite the North American name, the game has no relation with Tales of Destiny apart from having a similar battle system. It was later ported to the PlayStation Portable
in 2005, with extra cutscenes added to the game. The game bears the characteristic genre name and follows the Tale of Reid Hershell and his childhood friend Farah Oersted.
Tales of Destiny 2
, the fourth entry in the series, became the first to be released on the PlayStation 2
when it was released in 2002. It was ported to the PlayStation Portable
in 2005. It has no relation with Tales of Destiny II as this release is a direct sequel to Tales Of Destiny. The game, which bears the characteristic genre name , is centered around Kyle Dunamis and his efforts to restore history as it once was, and deals with the events that take place eighteen years after Stahn Aileron's exploits in Tales of Destiny. A new movement led by Elraine seeks to revive the goddess Fortuna. Aided by Barbatos, an ancient soldier from the War of Heaven and Earth who lusts for revenge, Elraine will not permit interference with her plan on the part of Kyle and his allies.
Tales of Symphonia
, the fifth entry in the series, was released in 2003 for the Nintendo GameCube
and was subsequently ported to the PlayStation 2
with additional content. The game was the first in the series not to be made by the original team, Team Destiny, but Team Symphonia instead. It was also the first 3D game in the series. The game, which carries the characteristic genre name , follows the story of Lloyd Irving, who must help and protect one of his best friends, Colette Brunel, who is a Chosen. He must help the Chosen on her Journey of World Regeneration as his world of Sylvarant is slowly dying due to a lack of Mana, the life force of the world. This is done by traveling from continent to continent, awakening the Summon Spirits that sleep at ancient shrines known as "seals". With every seal released, the Chosen comes closer and closer to becoming an angel. Once the Chosen fully transforms into an angel, the world will be regenerated.
Tales of Rebirth
, the sixth entry in the series, was released in 2004 for the PlayStation 2
and was subsequently ported to the PlayStation Portable
in 2008. Unlike its predecessor Tales of Symphonia, the game was made by Team Destiny and reverted to a 2D game with sprites instead of 3D models. The game, which bears the characteristic genre name , follows the journey of Veigue Lungberg, who lives in a small village, Sulz, located in the cold yet beautiful northern region. While he has never stepped foot outside of the village, he feels he has no choice to leave after his familiar surroundings and family, including Veigue himself, come under attack from a mysterious outside military force.
Tales of Legendia
, the seventh entry in the series, was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2
. It was the first Tales game not be made by the Namco Tales Studio, instead it was created by a Namco division known as Project Melfes. The game uses the characteristic genre name and follows the tale of Senel Coolidge, a young expert of eres, who is drifting in the ocean on a small boat with his younger sister Shirley. As food runs out and their strength deteriorates, an island suddenly bursts through the mist and approaches the boat with astonishing speed, engulfing it in waves. When Senel and Shirley awake on the shore, they realize that the island they are on is actually an enormous ship called the Legacy.
Tales of the Abyss
, the eighth entry in the series, celebrated the series tenth anniversary when it was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2
. It was the second title by Team Symphonia and the last title in the series for the PlayStation 2. The game, with the characteristic genre name, , revolves around Luke Fon Fabre, the young son of Duke Fabre of the Kimlasca Kingdom. He is the Light of the Sacred Flame, the scion of Lorelei's power, destined to bring prosperity to Kimlasca. Since being kidnapped seven years ago by the Malkuth Empire, he has been kept confined to the Fabre family mansion. The shock of the kidnapping has erased all of Luke's memories prior to the event. One fateful day, a mysterious woman breaks into the mansion and sets off a chain of events that drag Luke into the center of a massive conflict between those who would do anything to see the score carried out, and those who would see it broken forever.
Tales of Innocence
, the ninth entry in the series, marked the first Mothership title developed for a handheld, the Nintendo DS
, and was released in 2007. The game bears the characteristic genre name . In the game, the Imperial Capital of Regnum kept itself in peace during the long-lasting world war. Slowly, people with a "special power" began to appear. Feared by normal people, Regnum set out a law to capture all people with special powers. One day, Ruca, the son of a merchant in Regnum, realizes the special power within him.
Tales of Vesperia
, the tenth entry in the series, marked the jump of the series into the seventh generation
when it was released for the Xbox 360
in 2008. It was then ported to the PlayStation 3
with additional main characters and twice the voice-acting, as well as tie-ins with the first movie in the series, Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike
. The game bears the characteristic genre name . The game follows the tale of Yuri Lowell, an ex-Imperial Knight turned vigilante, who was arrested while attempting to catch a thief and is jailed in the Imperial Castle. During his escape he meets a young princess, Lady Estellise, who is searching for his best friend and Imperial Knight Flynn Scifo. The two of them then set out from the Imperial Castle to find both Flynn and the thief.
Tales of Hearts
, the eleventh entry in the series, returned to the Nintendo DS
and was released in 2008. It was the second Mothership Title to be released on a handheld. The game uses the characteristic genre name . The game follows the story of Kohak Hearts, who was in search of a Soma together with her brother, Hisui Hearts. Along the way an enemy, Incarose, assaults them, but they manage to escape to the sea. They are brought into a little village of Seeble, where they meet the protagonist, Shing Meteoryte. Since Shing has a soma, he intends to go within Kohak's Spir Maze in order to cure her. However, Shing's plan does not go well and as a result, Kohak's spiria ends up shattered into pieces placed all around the world. From there Shing's adventure of recovering Kohak's spirune begins.
Tales of Graces
, the twelfth entry in the series, was released in 2009 for the Wii
. The game bears the characteristic genre name . The game follows Asbel Lhant, the eldest son of the feudal lord Aston; he is a bright and cheerful boy who spent his childhood like any other carefree boy does: enjoy every day together with his irreplaceable friends. After an unknown incident occurs, a strong determination awoke within him, which led him to enlist himself in a knight's academy in the capital. Graces takes place seven years after the incident. In his eighth year, Asbel has grown up and established himself as a fine knight. However, at the death of his father, Aston, he gives up his dream to become a knight and takes over his father's position of a feudal lord. An enhanced port for the PlayStation 3
was released in 2010, which included an additional storyline taking place six months after the end of the original game.
Tales of Xillia, the thirteenth in the series, Tales of Xillia released exclusively on the PlayStation 3
in 2011. Its characteristic genre name is . The game features two main characters, one male named Jude Mathis and one female, Milla Maxwell. Both characters live in the world of Liese Maxia, where humans, spirits and demons are able to reside together in harmony. The story varies depending on with character you choose as the main character at the beginning.
, was released for the Game Boy Color
in 2000 as a sequel to Tales of Phantasia. Five games in the "Tales of the World" subseries have been released for hand-held systems.
Tales of the Tempest
, released for the Nintendo DS in 2006, is currently the only Escort Title with an original plot and cast.
A Fan Disk for the series, Tales of Fandom Vol.1
was released for the PlayStation in 2002. The second volume, Tales of Fandom Vol.2
was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2007. Currently the fan disks are only released as the last Tales game for that current (console) generation.
Six games have also been released under the "Tales of Mobile
" sub-series, for playing on cell phone systems. The first, Tales of Tactics, was released for the DoCoMo
, FOMA
, au
, and WIN
services in 2004. None of these titles are available outside of Japan.
A 2D fighter escort title known as Tales of VS.
was released for the PlayStation Portable
in 2009. It featured 35 characters from 13 past Tales games, fighting with each other in free for all battles or team battles of up to 4 players in a battle. the game utilized the same LMBS system in previous games but used stages with unique designs and special attributes rather than the plain flat fields of normal games. also featured its own unique story mode with animated cutscenes, skits and other content.
for the PlayStation Vita. This new installment will be called Tales of Innocence R and will include a revised game theme, a new battle system, a new character and a new gameplay system alongside a new opening movie. According to Namco Bandai the R in the title means "reimagining", not remake. There is currently a TBA 2012 release date set for this title in Japan.
A day after Namco Bandai
had announced Tales of Innocence R, they announced another new game called Tales of the Heroes: Twin Brave. Unlike the other Tales games, the gameplay of Tales of the Heroes: Twin Brave is similar Musou/Dynasty Warriors
games, where as the player will be able to control one of the characters while the AI controls the other as backup. Currently the playable characters include Jude and Milla from Tales of Xillia, Lloyd and Zelos from Tales of Symphonia
, and Yuri and Flynn from Tales of Vesperia
. Each pair will have their own story line to participate in. Future characters can range from Tales of Phantasia
to Tales of Xillia. This game is slated for 2012 in Japan.
series have been produced and released in Japan based on games in the series. The first, Tales of Eternia: The Animation
, is loosely based on Tales of Eternia and was released in 2001. The next two anime series were released as original video animation
s, Tales of Phantasia: The Animation
being released from 2004–2006, and Tales of Symphonia: The Animation being released in 2008, with the second half currently in production. Tales of the Abyss was adapted into a full 26-episode television anime series that was originally broadcast from October 3, 2008 through March 20, 2009.
The first theatrical anime film of the series, Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike
, was released on October 3, 2009 and was a prequel to the Mothership Title, Tales of Vesperia. It featured new characters as well as provided backstories to existing ones from the game.
Tales of Symphonia takes place at least four thousand years prior to Tales of Phantasia, presumably about the same time as the year 1 of the Aserian/Aselian Calendar, with its sequel Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World starting 2 years after the events of Tales of Symphonia. Tales of Phantasia takes place in three different time periods, with the "present" time being the year 4304 of the Aserian/Aselian Calendar, "past" being 100 years prior (year 4204) and "future" 50 years later (year 4354). Its sequel, Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon, focuses on Mel and Dio and takes place 104 years after Tales of Phantasia's "present" time. Tales of the World: Summoner's Lineage takes place 411 years after Phantasia's future in the year 4765, with Claus's descendant Fulein K. Lester as the protagonist.
s, called the Linear Motion Battle System, in which the player moves on a horizontal plane while executing attacks in real time. In later 3D games, the player is also able to move freely, but can only attack while locked in to a horizontal axis. While the series used the LMBS for the original game, the battle system has now been expanded into over ten different versions based on the original LMBS. Usually, the player has direct control over one character, and can move and direct this character in any way he or she chooses. By pressing the attack button along with a directional button in different directions, the character can perform various kinds of attacks, ranging from simple slashes and thrusts to ground-to-air or air-to-ground attacks. Some later games added the ability for another controller or handheld to be used so that multiple people could participate in a battle.
There are several different versions of the Tales battle system, all based on the original LMBS created in Tales of Phantasia. Since Tales of Eternia, new twists to the original LMBS have been added to various games, from multiple lines in Tales of Rebirth, to full 3D movement in Tales of the Abyss,then from the abyss battle system it was being evolved for the "Tales of Vesperia,aerial combat in Tales of Destiny (PS2), and the ability to call in inactive party members in Tales of Hearts.
At any time, the player can view a menu which pauses the action and allows them to select an item or an ability to use, choose a spell to cast, change a character's AI
tactics, pick an attack target, or escape from battle. Some later games included added shortcut options to items and/or skills, or allowed the computer controlled characters to use items.
GRADE, first introduced in Tales of Eternia, was not commonly used until Tales of Destiny 2. Upon completing certain requirements or performing well in battle, the player earns GRADE points. After completing the game, this accumulated GRADE can be used in the "GRADE Shop" to buy certain bonuses for the next playthrough.
In later games of the series, after the basic melee attacks are used, a skill can be linked into that attack to do a larger amount of hits and damage, which has been expanded on in differing ways by each game. Magic is usually divided into two categories: attack magic and healing/support magic. Attack magic is used for dealing damage to the enemy, while healing magic is used to heal the party or to provide support.In particular titles of the series, some characters are able to use Summon Spirits, powerful forms of magic that usually are one of or the strongest attack or healing spells.
Another attack that is common in the series are "Hi Ougi" (秘奥義), most commonly known as "Mystic Artes" in the English versions. Usually they are secret special attacks that have one or more requirements and are often the most powerful attack in a character's arsenal, capable of large amounts of damage or healing power. With the exception of Tales of Legendia (Which has compound eres as a substitute), they have been in every Mothership Title since Tales of Eternia, and recently now make appearances in the Escort Titles, ports, and remakes as well.
is a gameplay element used in many Mothership titles. Usually, a player must first find a recipe, or receive it from the mysterious "Wonder Chef", and can then cook it to recover hit points, technical points, or gain temporary stat boosts. In some games, however, HP is recovered either through each step taken or based on certain recipe set ups. Tales of Hearts is the only Mothership title to not include food in the recovery system, using the similar "Recovery Stones" instead.
There are many other types of common items in the series, including the "Sorcerer's Ring", which makes an appearance in almost all Mothership Titles of the series, and usually plays a primary role in solving most puzzles of the games. In many titles of the series there are various "recording" items to acquire, such the Collector's Book, which records the various items the player collects.
In every Mothership Title and several Escort Titles, there are several pieces of equipment to buy, sell, find, and equip to your party. Many pieces of equipment, from weapons, to armor, to accessories appear in several titles of the series. Swords are the most common weapon of the series, and to date at least one character in every Mothership Title uses a sword, though several characters of the series have also used weapons such as staffs, axes, bows, gloves, guns, and spears. A common part of equipment in the series is the "oddball" or unorthodox weapon that a member of the party is able to equip, such as straws or paintbrushes. Sometimes in the series there may be a powerful weapon (usually a sword) gained through the plot, such as the Eternal Sword. Many weapons of the series make numerous appearances, like the "Last Fencer". Defensive equipment in the series often includes things like armor and robes. Though the number or types of equipment that can be used usually changes from game to game; for example, instead of equipping armor in Tales of Hearts, the player must increase a character's defense. In most of the games, only weapons and shields change a characters appearance.
, Namco's mascot; Aifread, a pirate, or pirate king; a man with an uncanny love for cats; and the Sword Dancer, a powerful hidden boss that usually fights with the party more than one time within the game. Cheagles, a creature that first appeared in Tales of the Abyss, also makes appearances outside of its original game. Namco characters such as the Valkyrie have made appearances as enemies in Tales games. The series often features extra costumes party members can wear, that sometimes references other Namco characters and/or games, such as Gilgamesh. Often, characters from other Tales games will make cameo appearances, or be referenced, both inside and outside of battle.
was developed by Wolf Team in 1994
and published in 1995
. Most of the Wolf Team staff involved left Telenet Japan
after the game was released and then formed tri-Ace
, who now make the Star Ocean
and Valkyrie Profile
game series, published by Enix
(now Square Enix
). After Tales of Phantasia, the Tales games continued to be developed by Wolf Team and published by Namco until after Tales of Destiny 2
, when both companies formed the dedicated joint venture Namco Tales Studio, and moved the Wolf Team staff to the new company. The only remaining staff from Tales of Phantasia at that point were series director Eiji Kikuchi
and music composers Motoi Sakuraba
and Shinji Tamura.
often serves as a general director for most titles of the series. Yoshito Higuchi and Hideo Baba have recently also had prominent roles as directors and/or producers.
The series has also had numerous programmers for its battle system. Yoshiharu Gotanda was originally the battle (and total) programmer for Tales of Phantasia. After he left, Shinji Hirachi became the battle programmer for Tales of Destiny
and Tales of Phantasia (PS), until Tatsurou Udo became the battle programmer for Tales of Eternia and, with the exception of Tales of Hearts, the battle programmer for all 2D titles of the series since. Osamu Hisano was the battle programmer for Tales of Symphonia, and had the same role for Tales of the Abyss. Usually serving as support for the battle system, Yoshimasa Tanaka was the planner for Tales of Hearts battle system.
Namco Tales Studio has developed every subsequent Mothership Title in the series other than Tales of Legendia
and Tales of Innocence
, which were developed by Project MelFes (a Namco in-house development team, with members who worked on the Tekken and Soulcalibur
series) and Alfa System
respectively.
Another thing popular with fans is the use of naming each game as by a specific "team" each game was developed by. "Team Destiny", which has been with Tales studio since Tales of Destiny 2, are often cited as the development team of Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Rebirth, and Tales of Destiny (PS2). "Team Symphonia", named after the first game they developed, Tales of Symphonia, are often cited as the development team of Tales of Symphonia and Tales of the Abyss. However, since Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, the formerly distinct split between the two teams have begun to diminish, and all recent Tales Studio games since then (Vesperia, Dawn of the New World, and Hearts) have not been created only by "Team Symphonia" or "Team Destiny" staff, using a mix of staff members of both games instead.
In 2007
, series producer Makoto Yoshizumi announced two classes of Tales games, "Mothership Titles" and "Escort Titles". All of the main games up to Tales of the Abyss
became "Mothership Titles", while Tales of the Tempest
was classified as an "Escort Title", thus removing it from the main series, Tales of Innocence
was classified a "Mothership Title", and became the first one on the Nintendo DS
.
Every Mothership Tales game has used character designs of either Kōsuke Fujishima
, Mutsumi Inomata
, or Kazuto Nakazawa
. Kosuke Fujishima was the character designer for Tales of Phantasia, but did not return as a character designer for the series until Tales of Symphonia, later returning for Tales of the Abyss and Tales of Vesperia. Mutsumi Inomata has designed for the greatest amount of titles within the series, beginning with Tales of Destiny, and returning for Tales of Eternia, Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Rebirth, Tales of the Tempest, Tales of Innocence, Tales of Hearts, and Tales of Graces. To date Kazuto Nakazawa has designed for only one game of the series: Tales of Legendia. Daigo Okumura is often the designer for many of the antagonists and major NPCs of the series, and was the character designer for Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.
, Tales of Innocence, which was composed by Nakamura Kazuhiro, and other Escort Titles, Motoi Sakuraba
has been the primary composer for the series, along with Shinji Tamura. The series has made use of a vocal opening song since Tales of Phantasia SFC, though it has used various singers. To date, only Tales of Vesperia has used a vocal song in the localized version of the game, while the localized versions of Tales of the Abyss and Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology have at least used the instrumentals of their respective opening songs. One of the songs that mainly represents the series is Fighting of the Spirit, originally from Tales of Phantasia, that also received a remix in Tales of Symphonia, along with many other remixes.
Media franchise
A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters, setting and trademarks of an original work of media , such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, along with merchandising and endorsements...
of fantasy console role-playing games published by Namco Bandai Games
Namco Bandai Games
is an arcade, mobile and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai and Namco. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings and specializes in production and sales of...
(formerly Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
), and primarily developed by its subsidiary, Namco Tales Studio
Namco Tales Studio
, formerly , was a Japanese video game development company founded in 1986. The company was renamed in 2003 when Telenet Japan sold part of its stake and made Namco the majority shareholder. Namco Tales Studio continues to be the primary developer of the Tales RPG series, as they had been since the...
. Created in 1994, the series now spans over twelve flagship titles, over fifteen side games, and four animated productions, into several types of game genres. Similar to many Japanese role-playing games in a series, most games or media of the series are unrelated to each other beyond certain elements.
Widely known for its heavy influence by anime and Japanese culture, the series often makes use of popular manga artists or illustrators, and animated cutscenes produced by Production I.G. Popular music composer Motoi Sakuraba
Motoi Sakuraba
is a Japanese composer of video games, anime series, and television dramas as well as independent progressive rock albums.-Biography:Motoi Sakuraba was born in Akita Prefecture, Japan...
has composed for many titles of the series, with other well-known composers such as Go Shiina
Go Shiina
, better known as Go Shiina, is a Japanese video game composer employed at Namco Bandai Games. He is best known for creating the scores to Tales of Legendia, the Mr. Driller series, and God Eater.-Biography:...
having composed for at least one title of the series. Eleven entries have been localized for North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and just eight for Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. As of December 2007, the series has sold over ten million copies.
Games
The games in the series have been divided into two types: Mothership Titles, the flagship games of the series; and Escort Titles, which are side-stories from the series.| 1995 – | – Tales of Phantasia Tales of Phantasia is a Super Nintendo game in the RPG genre published by Namco and released in Japan in 1995, selling 212,000 copies. It is the first mothership title in the Tales RPG series and was later remade/re-released on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and PlayStation Portable... |
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| 1996 – | |||
| 1997 – | – Tales of Destiny Tales of Destiny is a video game in the RPG genre published for the PlayStation console by Namco on December 23, 1997 in Japan, selling 1,139,000 copies. Tales of Destiny's characteristic genre name is... |
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| 1998 – | |||
| 1999 – | |||
| 2000 – | – Tales of Eternia Tales of Eternia is a Japanese PlayStation action role-playing video game released by Namco on November 30, 2000, selling 873,000 copies and later ported to the PlayStation Portable on March 3, 2005, selling 398,000 copies. Tales of Eternia's characteristic genre name is... |
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| 2001 – | |||
| 2002 – | – Tales of Destiny 2 Tales of Destiny 2 is the fourth mothership title in Namco's popular Tales RPG series, a true sequel to Tales of Destiny that takes place in the same fictional world... |
||
| 2003 – | – Tales of Symphonia Tales of Symphonia is a video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. It debuted in Japan on August 29, 2003, selling 953,000 copies, in Canada and the United States on July 13, 2004, and in Europe on November 19, 2004. The game received a Japanese-only PlayStation 2... |
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| 2004 – | – Tales of Rebirth Tales of Rebirth is the sixth mothership title in Namco's Tales RPG series. It was released on December 16, 2004 in Japan for the Sony PlayStation 2. Tales of Rebirth's characteristic genre name is . Tales of Rebirth has an anime introductory video accompanied by the song Good Night by Every Little Thing. Notably,... |
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| 2005 – | – Tales of Legendia Tales of Legendia , is a role-playing game that was developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was released in Japan on August 25, 2005 and in the United States on February 7, 2006. Tales of Legendia's characteristic genre name is . It is the seventh mothership title in the Tales... |
– Tales of the Abyss Tales of the Abyss is a console role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco in Japan and Namco Bandai Games in North America. Tales of the Abyss's characteristic genre name is The Meaning Of Birth RPG . It is the eighth mothership title in the Tales series, and was released for the... |
|
| 2006 – | |||
| 2007 – | – Tales of Innocence Tales of Innocence is the ninth mothership title in the Tales series for the Nintendo DS. The game was developed by Alfa System, and was released on December 6, 2007 in Japan. Tales of Innocences characteristic genre name is . The game has not been released outside of Japan although there is a full fan translation... |
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| 2008 – | – Tales of Vesperia Tales of Vesperia is the tenth main title in the Tales series. It was developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. The title was announced on December 22, 2007 at Jump Festa, and was released on August 7, 2008 in Asia, and on August 26, 2008 in North America... |
– Tales of Hearts Tales of Hearts is the eleventh mothership title in the Tales series exclusively for the Nintendo DS, which was released on December 18, 2008 in Japan. Tales of Hearts characteristic genre name is... |
|
| 2009 – | – Tales of Graces Tales of Graces is the 12th mothership title and the newest generation in the Tales series for the Wii and PlayStation 3. It follows lead character Asbel Lhant, who desires to obtain greater strength. Its characteristic genre name is . The opening theme is by BoA... |
||
| 2010 – | |||
| 2011 – | – Tales of Xillia | ||
Flagship Titles
Twelve flagship titles have currently been released within the Tales series.Tales of Phantasia
Tales of Phantasia
is a Super Nintendo game in the RPG genre published by Namco and released in Japan in 1995, selling 212,000 copies. It is the first mothership title in the Tales RPG series and was later remade/re-released on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and PlayStation Portable...
is the first game in the series and was originally released in 1995 in Japan for the Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
. Later, it was remade for the PlayStation
Tales of Phantasia (PS1)
is a video game remake in the RPG genre published for the PlayStation console by Namco on December 23, 1998 in Japan.It is a remake of the original Tales of Phantasia for the Super Famicom....
(subsequently ported on the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
system) and ported to the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. An enhanced port based on the GBA version is under development for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. The game was given the characteristic genre name and followed the quest of a young swordsman named Cress Albane and his best friend, Chester Burklight, on a journey to defeat Dhaos and save their Tree of Life.
Tales of Destiny
Tales of Destiny
is a video game in the RPG genre published for the PlayStation console by Namco on December 23, 1997 in Japan, selling 1,139,000 copies. Tales of Destiny's characteristic genre name is...
is the second game in the series and was originally released in 1997 on the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
. It was later remade for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
in 2006 with a Director's Cut of the game being released in 2008. The game bears the characteristic genre name and follows the tale of a country-boy-turned-adventurer Stahn Aileron, who seeks fame and adventure.
Tales of Eternia
Tales of Eternia
is a Japanese PlayStation action role-playing video game released by Namco on November 30, 2000, selling 873,000 copies and later ported to the PlayStation Portable on March 3, 2005, selling 398,000 copies. Tales of Eternia's characteristic genre name is...
, known as Tales of Destiny II in North America, is the third game in the series and was originally released in 2000 on the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
. Despite the North American name, the game has no relation with Tales of Destiny apart from having a similar battle system. It was later ported to the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
in 2005, with extra cutscenes added to the game. The game bears the characteristic genre name and follows the Tale of Reid Hershell and his childhood friend Farah Oersted.
Tales of Destiny 2
Tales of Destiny 2
is the fourth mothership title in Namco's popular Tales RPG series, a true sequel to Tales of Destiny that takes place in the same fictional world...
, the fourth entry in the series, became the first to be released on the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
when it was released in 2002. It was ported to the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
in 2005. It has no relation with Tales of Destiny II as this release is a direct sequel to Tales Of Destiny. The game, which bears the characteristic genre name , is centered around Kyle Dunamis and his efforts to restore history as it once was, and deals with the events that take place eighteen years after Stahn Aileron's exploits in Tales of Destiny. A new movement led by Elraine seeks to revive the goddess Fortuna. Aided by Barbatos, an ancient soldier from the War of Heaven and Earth who lusts for revenge, Elraine will not permit interference with her plan on the part of Kyle and his allies.
Tales of Symphonia
Tales of Symphonia
is a video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. It debuted in Japan on August 29, 2003, selling 953,000 copies, in Canada and the United States on July 13, 2004, and in Europe on November 19, 2004. The game received a Japanese-only PlayStation 2...
, the fifth entry in the series, was released in 2003 for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
and was subsequently ported to the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
with additional content. The game was the first in the series not to be made by the original team, Team Destiny, but Team Symphonia instead. It was also the first 3D game in the series. The game, which carries the characteristic genre name , follows the story of Lloyd Irving, who must help and protect one of his best friends, Colette Brunel, who is a Chosen. He must help the Chosen on her Journey of World Regeneration as his world of Sylvarant is slowly dying due to a lack of Mana, the life force of the world. This is done by traveling from continent to continent, awakening the Summon Spirits that sleep at ancient shrines known as "seals". With every seal released, the Chosen comes closer and closer to becoming an angel. Once the Chosen fully transforms into an angel, the world will be regenerated.
Tales of Rebirth
Tales of Rebirth
is the sixth mothership title in Namco's Tales RPG series. It was released on December 16, 2004 in Japan for the Sony PlayStation 2. Tales of Rebirth's characteristic genre name is . Tales of Rebirth has an anime introductory video accompanied by the song Good Night by Every Little Thing. Notably,...
, the sixth entry in the series, was released in 2004 for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and was subsequently ported to the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
in 2008. Unlike its predecessor Tales of Symphonia, the game was made by Team Destiny and reverted to a 2D game with sprites instead of 3D models. The game, which bears the characteristic genre name , follows the journey of Veigue Lungberg, who lives in a small village, Sulz, located in the cold yet beautiful northern region. While he has never stepped foot outside of the village, he feels he has no choice to leave after his familiar surroundings and family, including Veigue himself, come under attack from a mysterious outside military force.
Tales of Legendia
Tales of Legendia
, is a role-playing game that was developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was released in Japan on August 25, 2005 and in the United States on February 7, 2006. Tales of Legendia's characteristic genre name is . It is the seventh mothership title in the Tales...
, the seventh entry in the series, was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. It was the first Tales game not be made by the Namco Tales Studio, instead it was created by a Namco division known as Project Melfes. The game uses the characteristic genre name and follows the tale of Senel Coolidge, a young expert of eres, who is drifting in the ocean on a small boat with his younger sister Shirley. As food runs out and their strength deteriorates, an island suddenly bursts through the mist and approaches the boat with astonishing speed, engulfing it in waves. When Senel and Shirley awake on the shore, they realize that the island they are on is actually an enormous ship called the Legacy.
Tales of the Abyss
Tales of the Abyss
is a console role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco in Japan and Namco Bandai Games in North America. Tales of the Abyss's characteristic genre name is The Meaning Of Birth RPG . It is the eighth mothership title in the Tales series, and was released for the...
, the eighth entry in the series, celebrated the series tenth anniversary when it was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. It was the second title by Team Symphonia and the last title in the series for the PlayStation 2. The game, with the characteristic genre name, , revolves around Luke Fon Fabre, the young son of Duke Fabre of the Kimlasca Kingdom. He is the Light of the Sacred Flame, the scion of Lorelei's power, destined to bring prosperity to Kimlasca. Since being kidnapped seven years ago by the Malkuth Empire, he has been kept confined to the Fabre family mansion. The shock of the kidnapping has erased all of Luke's memories prior to the event. One fateful day, a mysterious woman breaks into the mansion and sets off a chain of events that drag Luke into the center of a massive conflict between those who would do anything to see the score carried out, and those who would see it broken forever.
Tales of Innocence
Tales of Innocence
is the ninth mothership title in the Tales series for the Nintendo DS. The game was developed by Alfa System, and was released on December 6, 2007 in Japan. Tales of Innocences characteristic genre name is . The game has not been released outside of Japan although there is a full fan translation...
, the ninth entry in the series, marked the first Mothership title developed for a handheld, the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, and was released in 2007. The game bears the characteristic genre name . In the game, the Imperial Capital of Regnum kept itself in peace during the long-lasting world war. Slowly, people with a "special power" began to appear. Feared by normal people, Regnum set out a law to capture all people with special powers. One day, Ruca, the son of a merchant in Regnum, realizes the special power within him.
Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Vesperia
is the tenth main title in the Tales series. It was developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. The title was announced on December 22, 2007 at Jump Festa, and was released on August 7, 2008 in Asia, and on August 26, 2008 in North America...
, the tenth entry in the series, marked the jump of the series into the seventh generation
History of video game consoles (seventh generation)
In the history of video games, the seventh generation of consoles is the current generation , and includes consoles released since late by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony...
when it was released for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
in 2008. It was then ported to the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
with additional main characters and twice the voice-acting, as well as tie-ins with the first movie in the series, Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike
Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike
is a 2009 Japanese animated film directed by Kenta Kamei and written by Reiko Yoshida. It is the prequel to the game Tales of Vesperia and the first animated feature film in the Tales series. It was released in Japan on October 3, 2009. While other Tales games have been adopted into other media,...
. The game bears the characteristic genre name . The game follows the tale of Yuri Lowell, an ex-Imperial Knight turned vigilante, who was arrested while attempting to catch a thief and is jailed in the Imperial Castle. During his escape he meets a young princess, Lady Estellise, who is searching for his best friend and Imperial Knight Flynn Scifo. The two of them then set out from the Imperial Castle to find both Flynn and the thief.
Tales of Hearts
Tales of Hearts
is the eleventh mothership title in the Tales series exclusively for the Nintendo DS, which was released on December 18, 2008 in Japan. Tales of Hearts characteristic genre name is...
, the eleventh entry in the series, returned to the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and was released in 2008. It was the second Mothership Title to be released on a handheld. The game uses the characteristic genre name . The game follows the story of Kohak Hearts, who was in search of a Soma together with her brother, Hisui Hearts. Along the way an enemy, Incarose, assaults them, but they manage to escape to the sea. They are brought into a little village of Seeble, where they meet the protagonist, Shing Meteoryte. Since Shing has a soma, he intends to go within Kohak's Spir Maze in order to cure her. However, Shing's plan does not go well and as a result, Kohak's spiria ends up shattered into pieces placed all around the world. From there Shing's adventure of recovering Kohak's spirune begins.
Tales of Graces
Tales of Graces
is the 12th mothership title and the newest generation in the Tales series for the Wii and PlayStation 3. It follows lead character Asbel Lhant, who desires to obtain greater strength. Its characteristic genre name is . The opening theme is by BoA...
, the twelfth entry in the series, was released in 2009 for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. The game bears the characteristic genre name . The game follows Asbel Lhant, the eldest son of the feudal lord Aston; he is a bright and cheerful boy who spent his childhood like any other carefree boy does: enjoy every day together with his irreplaceable friends. After an unknown incident occurs, a strong determination awoke within him, which led him to enlist himself in a knight's academy in the capital. Graces takes place seven years after the incident. In his eighth year, Asbel has grown up and established himself as a fine knight. However, at the death of his father, Aston, he gives up his dream to become a knight and takes over his father's position of a feudal lord. An enhanced port for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
was released in 2010, which included an additional storyline taking place six months after the end of the original game.
Tales of Xillia, the thirteenth in the series, Tales of Xillia released exclusively on the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
in 2011. Its characteristic genre name is . The game features two main characters, one male named Jude Mathis and one female, Milla Maxwell. Both characters live in the world of Liese Maxia, where humans, spirits and demons are able to reside together in harmony. The story varies depending on with character you choose as the main character at the beginning.
Escort Titles
In addition to the main games of the series, there are several "Escort Titles" which are side-stories and of games from the series. The first of these titles, Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri DungeonTales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon
is an RPG for the Game Boy Color released by Namco on November 10, 2000, selling 136,000 copies. Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon's characteristic genre name is . It is the first sequel in the Tales series, which normally does not have connected storylines...
, was released for the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
in 2000 as a sequel to Tales of Phantasia. Five games in the "Tales of the World" subseries have been released for hand-held systems.
Tales of the Tempest
Tales of the Tempest
is a console role-playing game in the Tales series developed by Dimps and Namco Tales Studio's sound staff for the Nintendo DS. The game, was released in Japan on October 26, 2006. Tales of the Tempest 's characteristic genre name is . The theme song is "VS" by Misono...
, released for the Nintendo DS in 2006, is currently the only Escort Title with an original plot and cast.
A Fan Disk for the series, Tales of Fandom Vol.1
Tales of Fandom Vol.1
was released on January 31, 2002. selling 94,000 copies. It is the 1st game in the Tales of Fandom sub-series of the Tales RPG Series, it features the characters from Tales of Phantasia, Tales of Destiny, and Tales of Eternia. There are two versions of Tales of Fandom Vol.1, a Cless Version, and a...
was released for the PlayStation in 2002. The second volume, Tales of Fandom Vol.2
Tales of Fandom Vol.2
is the 2nd game in the Tales of Fandom sub-series of the Tales RPG Series, it is the sequel of 2002's Tales of Fandom Vol.1 for the Sony PlayStation, which featured the characters from Tales of Phantasia, Tales of Destiny, and Tales of Eternia. There are two versions of Tales of Fandom Vol.2, a...
was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2007. Currently the fan disks are only released as the last Tales game for that current (console) generation.
Six games have also been released under the "Tales of Mobile
Tales of Mobile
is the collective name of several mobile phone-based games available only to Japanese NTT DoCoMo FOMA 900i cellphone users that often feature characters and story elements from the popular Tales role-playing video game series...
" sub-series, for playing on cell phone systems. The first, Tales of Tactics, was released for the DoCoMo
DoCoMo
DoCoMo is a trademark of the NTT DoCoMo corporation of Japan, used in its home market and in India in partnership with Tata Teleservices. It is an acronym of the phrase "Do communications over the mobile network."See also the following mobile phone operators:...
, FOMA
Foma
Foma may refer to:* FOMA , a Japanese mobile telecommunications service* Sergei Fomenko, nicknamed "Foma", Ukrainian musician...
, au
Au
-Science:*Absorbance Units, a reporting unit in spectroscopy*Astronomical unit, the average distance between the Earth and the Sun *Atomic units, a system of units convenient for atomic physics and other fields...
, and WIN
Win
A win is a victory.Win may also refer to:* Win , the opposite of the internet meme fail* Win , a 1975 song by David Bowie* Win , a statistical credit given to a pitcher* Win , a Scottish band...
services in 2004. None of these titles are available outside of Japan.
A 2D fighter escort title known as Tales of VS.
Tales of VS.
is the latest escort title in the Tales series exclusively for the PlayStation Portable, released on August 6, 2009 in Japan. It was developed by Matrix Software and published by Namco Bandai Games. It is a cross-over action game which features various characters from past Tales games. Tales of VS...
was released for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
in 2009. It featured 35 characters from 13 past Tales games, fighting with each other in free for all battles or team battles of up to 4 players in a battle. the game utilized the same LMBS system in previous games but used stages with unique designs and special attributes rather than the plain flat fields of normal games. also featured its own unique story mode with animated cutscenes, skits and other content.
Future
Namco Tales Studio is currently working on a new version of Tales of InnocenceTales of Innocence
is the ninth mothership title in the Tales series for the Nintendo DS. The game was developed by Alfa System, and was released on December 6, 2007 in Japan. Tales of Innocences characteristic genre name is . The game has not been released outside of Japan although there is a full fan translation...
for the PlayStation Vita. This new installment will be called Tales of Innocence R and will include a revised game theme, a new battle system, a new character and a new gameplay system alongside a new opening movie. According to Namco Bandai the R in the title means "reimagining", not remake. There is currently a TBA 2012 release date set for this title in Japan.
A day after Namco Bandai
Namco Bandai
, also known as the Bandai Namco Group, is a Japanese holding company formed from the merger of Namco and Bandai. It has interests in toys, video games and arcades, anime, and amusement parks. The new entity was founded on September 29, 2005...
had announced Tales of Innocence R, they announced another new game called Tales of the Heroes: Twin Brave. Unlike the other Tales games, the gameplay of Tales of the Heroes: Twin Brave is similar Musou/Dynasty Warriors
Dynasty Warriors
is a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
games, where as the player will be able to control one of the characters while the AI controls the other as backup. Currently the playable characters include Jude and Milla from Tales of Xillia, Lloyd and Zelos from Tales of Symphonia
Tales of Symphonia
is a video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. It debuted in Japan on August 29, 2003, selling 953,000 copies, in Canada and the United States on July 13, 2004, and in Europe on November 19, 2004. The game received a Japanese-only PlayStation 2...
, and Yuri and Flynn from Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Vesperia
is the tenth main title in the Tales series. It was developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. The title was announced on December 22, 2007 at Jump Festa, and was released on August 7, 2008 in Asia, and on August 26, 2008 in North America...
. Each pair will have their own story line to participate in. Future characters can range from Tales of Phantasia
Tales of Phantasia
is a Super Nintendo game in the RPG genre published by Namco and released in Japan in 1995, selling 212,000 copies. It is the first mothership title in the Tales RPG series and was later remade/re-released on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and PlayStation Portable...
to Tales of Xillia. This game is slated for 2012 in Japan.
Anime adaptations
Four animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series have been produced and released in Japan based on games in the series. The first, Tales of Eternia: The Animation
Tales of Eternia: The Animation
is a Japanese anime loosely based on the 2000 Namco role playing game Tales of Eternia. The anime features four main characters from the game and several other characters, plots, and events exclusive to the anime.-Plot summary:...
, is loosely based on Tales of Eternia and was released in 2001. The next two anime series were released as original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
s, Tales of Phantasia: The Animation
Tales of Phantasia: The Animation
is an anime OVA based on the game of the same title, released from 2004 to 2006 in Japan in four volumes. The OVA was later licensed by Geneon for US distribution and was released in the United States in January 2007.-Plot:...
being released from 2004–2006, and Tales of Symphonia: The Animation being released in 2008, with the second half currently in production. Tales of the Abyss was adapted into a full 26-episode television anime series that was originally broadcast from October 3, 2008 through March 20, 2009.
The first theatrical anime film of the series, Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike
Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike
is a 2009 Japanese animated film directed by Kenta Kamei and written by Reiko Yoshida. It is the prequel to the game Tales of Vesperia and the first animated feature film in the Tales series. It was released in Japan on October 3, 2009. While other Tales games have been adopted into other media,...
, was released on October 3, 2009 and was a prequel to the Mothership Title, Tales of Vesperia. It featured new characters as well as provided backstories to existing ones from the game.
Aserian/Aselian timeline
The games in this timeline take place in the same world but many years apart from each other, with the exception of Tales of Symphonia and its sequel.Tales of Symphonia takes place at least four thousand years prior to Tales of Phantasia, presumably about the same time as the year 1 of the Aserian/Aselian Calendar, with its sequel Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World starting 2 years after the events of Tales of Symphonia. Tales of Phantasia takes place in three different time periods, with the "present" time being the year 4304 of the Aserian/Aselian Calendar, "past" being 100 years prior (year 4204) and "future" 50 years later (year 4354). Its sequel, Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon, focuses on Mel and Dio and takes place 104 years after Tales of Phantasia's "present" time. Tales of the World: Summoner's Lineage takes place 411 years after Phantasia's future in the year 4765, with Claus's descendant Fulein K. Lester as the protagonist.
Destiny timeline
Tales of Destiny tells the story of Stahn Aileron, and the other Swordian Masters. Tales of Destiny 2 tells the story of Stahn Aileron and Rutee Kartret's son, Kyle Dunamis, taking place 18 years after its predecessor, and several other different time periods, including an altered timeline.Radiant timeline
"Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology" and its direct sequels feature the same secondary character 'Kanonno Earhart,' although her second name is not mentioned in the original. Each game takes place in a different universe though they are connected as Radiant Mythology 2's Kanonno is a reincarnation of the first game's Kanonno's desire to be human.Battle system
The series possesses a battle system reminiscent of fighting gameFighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
s, called the Linear Motion Battle System, in which the player moves on a horizontal plane while executing attacks in real time. In later 3D games, the player is also able to move freely, but can only attack while locked in to a horizontal axis. While the series used the LMBS for the original game, the battle system has now been expanded into over ten different versions based on the original LMBS. Usually, the player has direct control over one character, and can move and direct this character in any way he or she chooses. By pressing the attack button along with a directional button in different directions, the character can perform various kinds of attacks, ranging from simple slashes and thrusts to ground-to-air or air-to-ground attacks. Some later games added the ability for another controller or handheld to be used so that multiple people could participate in a battle.
There are several different versions of the Tales battle system, all based on the original LMBS created in Tales of Phantasia. Since Tales of Eternia, new twists to the original LMBS have been added to various games, from multiple lines in Tales of Rebirth, to full 3D movement in Tales of the Abyss,then from the abyss battle system it was being evolved for the "Tales of Vesperia,aerial combat in Tales of Destiny (PS2), and the ability to call in inactive party members in Tales of Hearts.
At any time, the player can view a menu which pauses the action and allows them to select an item or an ability to use, choose a spell to cast, change a character's AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
tactics, pick an attack target, or escape from battle. Some later games included added shortcut options to items and/or skills, or allowed the computer controlled characters to use items.
GRADE, first introduced in Tales of Eternia, was not commonly used until Tales of Destiny 2. Upon completing certain requirements or performing well in battle, the player earns GRADE points. After completing the game, this accumulated GRADE can be used in the "GRADE Shop" to buy certain bonuses for the next playthrough.
Abilities
Unlike other role-playing games where the player often may have free control over the party members' abilities and growth, Tales gives each character unique skills or magic (both referred to in the English versions of Tales of the Abyss onward as Artes) Although, there are few occurrences in which multiple characters have access to the same arte, most characters have unique artes in their respective games. For example, in Tales of Phantasia, only Cress can use sword skills, while only Mint is capable of learning healing magic. In most games of the series, when a skill or spell is used it consumes TP (Technical Points). Although, there are few occurrences in which multiple characters have access to the same arte.In later games of the series, after the basic melee attacks are used, a skill can be linked into that attack to do a larger amount of hits and damage, which has been expanded on in differing ways by each game. Magic is usually divided into two categories: attack magic and healing/support magic. Attack magic is used for dealing damage to the enemy, while healing magic is used to heal the party or to provide support.In particular titles of the series, some characters are able to use Summon Spirits, powerful forms of magic that usually are one of or the strongest attack or healing spells.
Another attack that is common in the series are "Hi Ougi" (秘奥義), most commonly known as "Mystic Artes" in the English versions. Usually they are secret special attacks that have one or more requirements and are often the most powerful attack in a character's arsenal, capable of large amounts of damage or healing power. With the exception of Tales of Legendia (Which has compound eres as a substitute), they have been in every Mothership Title since Tales of Eternia, and recently now make appearances in the Escort Titles, ports, and remakes as well.
Cooking
CookingCooking
Cooking is the process of preparing food by use of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions. Cooks themselves also vary widely in skill and training...
is a gameplay element used in many Mothership titles. Usually, a player must first find a recipe, or receive it from the mysterious "Wonder Chef", and can then cook it to recover hit points, technical points, or gain temporary stat boosts. In some games, however, HP is recovered either through each step taken or based on certain recipe set ups. Tales of Hearts is the only Mothership title to not include food in the recovery system, using the similar "Recovery Stones" instead.
Items and equipment
The series usually has a large number of items that can be used to affect both you and/or your enemy during battle. In every Tales game the HP restorative items are called "gels" or "gummies", medicinal snacks that are often given the flavor of various fruits. Instead of recovering a set amount, they often restore a certain percentage of HP (or TP), or sometimes have other effects. There are also many status-curing items in the games, usually labeled as various types of "Bottles".There are many other types of common items in the series, including the "Sorcerer's Ring", which makes an appearance in almost all Mothership Titles of the series, and usually plays a primary role in solving most puzzles of the games. In many titles of the series there are various "recording" items to acquire, such the Collector's Book, which records the various items the player collects.
In every Mothership Title and several Escort Titles, there are several pieces of equipment to buy, sell, find, and equip to your party. Many pieces of equipment, from weapons, to armor, to accessories appear in several titles of the series. Swords are the most common weapon of the series, and to date at least one character in every Mothership Title uses a sword, though several characters of the series have also used weapons such as staffs, axes, bows, gloves, guns, and spears. A common part of equipment in the series is the "oddball" or unorthodox weapon that a member of the party is able to equip, such as straws or paintbrushes. Sometimes in the series there may be a powerful weapon (usually a sword) gained through the plot, such as the Eternal Sword. Many weapons of the series make numerous appearances, like the "Last Fencer". Defensive equipment in the series often includes things like armor and robes. Though the number or types of equipment that can be used usually changes from game to game; for example, instead of equipping armor in Tales of Hearts, the player must increase a character's defense. In most of the games, only weapons and shields change a characters appearance.
Sidequests
A popular concept in the series is to have various sidequests and minigames throughout the game's world. Often, completing a sidequest or minigame gives a certain character a "title". Sometimes titles serve no gameplay purpose, though other times titles may give a character certain stat increases when leveling up or even change the outfit of a character. Sidequests also serve as a way to see a character develop throughout the game.Storyline
Though most games of the series are unrelated, many games of the Tales series have plots that revolve around real-life themes or topics of philosophy, such as racism, loss or the meaning of life. The villains or antagonists are often those who are trying to change or "improve" the world through methods that are often considered "evil" even if the villains' intentions are good, usually as a result of the specific themes of the game. It often is a group of fairly young heroes that start out in with a simple task or a simple life that eventually are taken into a struggle that determines the fate of the entire world that serve as the protagonists of the story.Characters
Spirits are often a common recurring element of the plot and/or gameplay of several games, and many of them have made reappearances in games of the series. Besides the Spirits, characters that have appeared in more than one game of the series include: Pac-ManPac-Man
is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
, Namco's mascot; Aifread, a pirate, or pirate king; a man with an uncanny love for cats; and the Sword Dancer, a powerful hidden boss that usually fights with the party more than one time within the game. Cheagles, a creature that first appeared in Tales of the Abyss, also makes appearances outside of its original game. Namco characters such as the Valkyrie have made appearances as enemies in Tales games. The series often features extra costumes party members can wear, that sometimes references other Namco characters and/or games, such as Gilgamesh. Often, characters from other Tales games will make cameo appearances, or be referenced, both inside and outside of battle.
Skits
Since Tales of Destiny, almost every Tales game has used skits, systems in which the player is able to hear conversations between the cast, and sometimes any NPCs that happen to be along with the party. Though they are often presented in various ways throughout the series, they usually use animated character artwork. The Japanese version of almost every Tales game has had at least most skits in the game voiced, while in the localized versions, only Tales of Eternia , Tales of Legendia, Tales of Vesperia and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World have had all of the skits voiced.Origin
Tales of PhantasiaTales of Phantasia
is a Super Nintendo game in the RPG genre published by Namco and released in Japan in 1995, selling 212,000 copies. It is the first mothership title in the Tales RPG series and was later remade/re-released on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and PlayStation Portable...
was developed by Wolf Team in 1994
1994 in video gaming
-Events:*Nintendo calls this year "1994: The Year of the Cartridge".*Nintendo Australia Pty. Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd is established and opened by Hiroshi Yamauchi and effectively ends Mattel Australia's distribution of Nintendo's products throughout Australia.*"Project...
and published in 1995
1995 in video gaming
-Events:*May 11 – Introduction of trade magazine GameWeek *May 11-16 — The 1st annual Electronic Entertainment Expo is held in Los Angeles, California...
. Most of the Wolf Team staff involved left Telenet Japan
Telenet Japan
was a Japanese video game and software developer founded in October 1983 by Kazuyuki Fukushima. The company was also known as Nippon Telenet . The company was best known for the Valis series as well as its Wolfteam & RiOT divisions...
after the game was released and then formed tri-Ace
Tri-Ace
is a Japanese video game development company formed in 1995 by former Telenet Japan employees Yoshiharu Gotanda , Masaki Norimoto and Joe Asanuma . The name is a play on words regarding the "three aces" who formed the company...
, who now make the Star Ocean
Star Ocean
is a franchise of action role-playing video games developed by tri-Ace and published and owned by Square Enix .-Creation and influence:...
and Valkyrie Profile
Valkyrie Profile
Valkyrie Profile is a video game series developed by tri-Ace and published by Enix . It comprises three titles:* Valkyrie Profile, a 1999 PlayStation game**Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, the 2006 PlayStation Portable port...
game series, published by Enix
Enix
The was a Japanese company that produced video games, anime and manga. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975 as and renamed Enix in 1982...
(now Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
). After Tales of Phantasia, the Tales games continued to be developed by Wolf Team and published by Namco until after Tales of Destiny 2
Tales of Destiny 2
is the fourth mothership title in Namco's popular Tales RPG series, a true sequel to Tales of Destiny that takes place in the same fictional world...
, when both companies formed the dedicated joint venture Namco Tales Studio, and moved the Wolf Team staff to the new company. The only remaining staff from Tales of Phantasia at that point were series director Eiji Kikuchi
Eiji Kikuchi
Eiji Kikuchi is a video game director best known as the series director of the Tales role-playing game series. He presently works for Namco Tales Studio where he is a minority shareholder.-External links:* at MobyGames...
and music composers Motoi Sakuraba
Motoi Sakuraba
is a Japanese composer of video games, anime series, and television dramas as well as independent progressive rock albums.-Biography:Motoi Sakuraba was born in Akita Prefecture, Japan...
and Shinji Tamura.
Design
The series has had several producers and directors for the series. Eiji KikuchiEiji Kikuchi
Eiji Kikuchi is a video game director best known as the series director of the Tales role-playing game series. He presently works for Namco Tales Studio where he is a minority shareholder.-External links:* at MobyGames...
often serves as a general director for most titles of the series. Yoshito Higuchi and Hideo Baba have recently also had prominent roles as directors and/or producers.
The series has also had numerous programmers for its battle system. Yoshiharu Gotanda was originally the battle (and total) programmer for Tales of Phantasia. After he left, Shinji Hirachi became the battle programmer for Tales of Destiny
Tales of Destiny
is a video game in the RPG genre published for the PlayStation console by Namco on December 23, 1997 in Japan, selling 1,139,000 copies. Tales of Destiny's characteristic genre name is...
and Tales of Phantasia (PS), until Tatsurou Udo became the battle programmer for Tales of Eternia and, with the exception of Tales of Hearts, the battle programmer for all 2D titles of the series since. Osamu Hisano was the battle programmer for Tales of Symphonia, and had the same role for Tales of the Abyss. Usually serving as support for the battle system, Yoshimasa Tanaka was the planner for Tales of Hearts battle system.
Namco Tales Studio has developed every subsequent Mothership Title in the series other than Tales of Legendia
Tales of Legendia
, is a role-playing game that was developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was released in Japan on August 25, 2005 and in the United States on February 7, 2006. Tales of Legendia's characteristic genre name is . It is the seventh mothership title in the Tales...
and Tales of Innocence
Tales of Innocence
is the ninth mothership title in the Tales series for the Nintendo DS. The game was developed by Alfa System, and was released on December 6, 2007 in Japan. Tales of Innocences characteristic genre name is . The game has not been released outside of Japan although there is a full fan translation...
, which were developed by Project MelFes (a Namco in-house development team, with members who worked on the Tekken and Soulcalibur
Soul (series)
The is a weapon-based historical fantasy fighting game series by Namco Bandai Games. The series revolves around a sword that, after years of bloodshed and hatred, gained a soul of its own, the Soul Edge, and the sword forged to counter it, Soul Calibur. The series is special in that each character...
series) and Alfa System
Alfa System
Alfa System is a Japanese game development company that plans, develops and markets game software for consoles and personal computers. Alfa System is based out of Kumamoto City, Kyūshū...
respectively.
Another thing popular with fans is the use of naming each game as by a specific "team" each game was developed by. "Team Destiny", which has been with Tales studio since Tales of Destiny 2, are often cited as the development team of Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Rebirth, and Tales of Destiny (PS2). "Team Symphonia", named after the first game they developed, Tales of Symphonia, are often cited as the development team of Tales of Symphonia and Tales of the Abyss. However, since Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, the formerly distinct split between the two teams have begun to diminish, and all recent Tales Studio games since then (Vesperia, Dawn of the New World, and Hearts) have not been created only by "Team Symphonia" or "Team Destiny" staff, using a mix of staff members of both games instead.
In 2007
2007 in video gaming
-Events:*March 14: Microsoft announces Games for Windows - Live, a version of Xbox Live for the Windows platform. The service launched on May 8.*March 27: Microsoft announces the new "Xbox 360 Elite" stock-keeping unit . The revision comes with a bigger hard drive and the ability to output HDMI...
, series producer Makoto Yoshizumi announced two classes of Tales games, "Mothership Titles" and "Escort Titles". All of the main games up to Tales of the Abyss
Tales of the Abyss
is a console role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco in Japan and Namco Bandai Games in North America. Tales of the Abyss's characteristic genre name is The Meaning Of Birth RPG . It is the eighth mothership title in the Tales series, and was released for the...
became "Mothership Titles", while Tales of the Tempest
Tales of the Tempest
is a console role-playing game in the Tales series developed by Dimps and Namco Tales Studio's sound staff for the Nintendo DS. The game, was released in Japan on October 26, 2006. Tales of the Tempest 's characteristic genre name is . The theme song is "VS" by Misono...
was classified as an "Escort Title", thus removing it from the main series, Tales of Innocence
Tales of Innocence
is the ninth mothership title in the Tales series for the Nintendo DS. The game was developed by Alfa System, and was released on December 6, 2007 in Japan. Tales of Innocences characteristic genre name is . The game has not been released outside of Japan although there is a full fan translation...
was classified a "Mothership Title", and became the first one on the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
.
Every Mothership Tales game has used character designs of either Kōsuke Fujishima
Kosuke Fujishima
is a Japanese manga artist.Born in Chiba, Japan, he first came to public attention as an editor of Puff magazine, his first job after completing high school. Fujishima originally intended to be a draftsman, but took the editorial role after failing to get a drafting apprenticeship...
, Mutsumi Inomata
Mutsumi Inomata
is a Japanese illustrator and animator.-Biography:An anime fan, Inomata began her career as an animator with Toei Animation, soon after graduating from her senior year at high school...
, or Kazuto Nakazawa
Kazuto Nakazawa
is a Japanese character designer and director of numerous anime series and video games who also goes by the pseudonym . His directorial work includes Parasite Dolls, the anime sequence in Kill Bill volume 1, and the Moondrive segment of Genius Party Beyond...
. Kosuke Fujishima was the character designer for Tales of Phantasia, but did not return as a character designer for the series until Tales of Symphonia, later returning for Tales of the Abyss and Tales of Vesperia. Mutsumi Inomata has designed for the greatest amount of titles within the series, beginning with Tales of Destiny, and returning for Tales of Eternia, Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Rebirth, Tales of the Tempest, Tales of Innocence, Tales of Hearts, and Tales of Graces. To date Kazuto Nakazawa has designed for only one game of the series: Tales of Legendia. Daigo Okumura is often the designer for many of the antagonists and major NPCs of the series, and was the character designer for Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.
Music
With the exception of Tales of Legendia, which had a score composed by Go ShiinaGo Shiina
, better known as Go Shiina, is a Japanese video game composer employed at Namco Bandai Games. He is best known for creating the scores to Tales of Legendia, the Mr. Driller series, and God Eater.-Biography:...
, Tales of Innocence, which was composed by Nakamura Kazuhiro, and other Escort Titles, Motoi Sakuraba
Motoi Sakuraba
is a Japanese composer of video games, anime series, and television dramas as well as independent progressive rock albums.-Biography:Motoi Sakuraba was born in Akita Prefecture, Japan...
has been the primary composer for the series, along with Shinji Tamura. The series has made use of a vocal opening song since Tales of Phantasia SFC, though it has used various singers. To date, only Tales of Vesperia has used a vocal song in the localized version of the game, while the localized versions of Tales of the Abyss and Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology have at least used the instrumentals of their respective opening songs. One of the songs that mainly represents the series is Fighting of the Spirit, originally from Tales of Phantasia, that also received a remix in Tales of Symphonia, along with many other remixes.