This year marks the 20th anniversary for the Tales series, which is one of the biggest JRPGs out there.
In celebration, Bandai Namco released a trailer called “The Legend of Tales” that shows a historic glimpse of the series. Starting with 1995’s Tales of Phantasia, the trailer takes you through each of the games that were released in the West over the past two decades, and ends with the soon-to-be-released Tales of Zestiria.
So, do you have any awesome Tales memories? Be sure and participate in the celebration by using #IAMTALESOF on Twitter and Facebook.
My Opinion:
I can’t even begin to explain how much the Tales series means to me. I have ranted about it so many times in these “My Opinion” sections and on the MONG Podcast, and yet it still feels like I haven’t expressed it enough. The Tales series is by far my favorite series of video games. Of all of the games in the above trailer, I only haven’t played two that are currently available (not counting Zestiria). I set a goal after playing my first game in the series that I would play every one that was released in English, and boy am I getting close! Now hurry up Namco, tell us when Tales of Zestiria is coming out!
Courtney Osborn is MONG’s Founder and Editor in Chief. He is also a notorious Science Doctor, so ask him stuff. You can follow him on Twitter, Twitch, and IGN.
Middle Of Nowhere Gaming 
More like OCCASIONAL immersive storytelling, a lot of the later ones are just full of what can only be summarized as, well, “stupid”.
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I disagree wholeheartedly
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Oh come on, Graces and Xillia were really obvious and had some dreadful characters. Xillia has one of the worst “childhood friend” characters I’ve seen in years, in any medium.
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Again, I disagree. Graces story is the second best story in the franchise in by opinion. It doesn’t matter if it’s obvious, that doesn’t make it “stupid”. And all the characters in Xillia (and their relationships) were far better than the early games.
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Oh my comment on stupid wasn’t about an obvious story, an obvious story just means it has no surprise. No I draw issue with characters who don’t have much character other than being a one trick pony ,see Pascal who can’t shut up with her stupid idioms in her speech even when it appeared Sophie’s life was in danger. I’ve never seen someone be so inappropriate in-universe of a game like that, it’s usually commentators who do it.
Xillia has a VERY boring main protagonist (mostly Jude) with a very simple and uninspired plot that lacks character, it is so by the book it is painful. Also the ass pull at the end of Xillia so the core problem of the other world being self serving assholes is so cheap it physically upset me, it undermined anything substantial that was built up by the confrontations.
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Honestly, I loved Pascal’s personality and the way she was quirky like that. Obviously I can see how some people would be annoyed by her, as I was annoyed by other characters in some games in the same way.
And I’ll agree that Xillia’s story wasn’t the best, but it didn’t make it a bad one. The other world twist was awesome. You come to expect that from Tales games, but I still remember how amazed I was at about the 30 hour mark during the war when you find out about the other world.
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I guess with only a few games of the series under my belt I’m greatly disappointed how easy it is to see some big moments coming, as if the impact of the surprise is what should be carrying the moment.
Also, while I will acknlowedge that some can find pascal enjoyable, her incessant quirks during a time when someone is suspected to be dying is wrong on so many levels that anyone who still likes her after that is blinded by faovuritism. You don’t just go “all tubular when a bro is slipping away on the conga line”…it’s just rude.
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