GodisaGeek: "Tales of Graces f is great, but it isn’t truly special. Its design suffers from a lack of flair that may well see it overlooked in favour of more eye-catching titles, and its characters never deviate from type. Anyone looking for a profoundly moving story that will transport them utterly to another world will be disappointed.
But JRPG fans looking to get their teeth into a deep battle system will find much to enjoy here, as gameplay yields rich rewards. Instantly customisable difficulty and AI settings mean you can continually adjust the challenge as you improve, and the complex yet extremely clear “strategy” settings give more tactically-minded players the chance to programme their party so that each battle plays out like a well-oiled machine.
It’s also worth pointing out that this is a great game for younger players, or even an adventure for parents and children to play together. The story, while it’s never going to give the good people at Pixar any sleepless nights, is both coherent (not always a given with a JRPG) and heartfelt, and the mechanics are perfectly set up to allow those new to the genre to find their feet.
If you’re looking for a deep, strategic battle system or an accessible introduction to a genre that can sometimes seem impenetrable, Tales of Graces f is a solid choice."
Gary Green said: Namco Bandai heard the call of many fans asking for the PlayStation release of Tales of Graces which was originally released seemingly exclusively for the Wii back in 2009. If you’re acquainted with the Tales series then Graces f won’t be something entirely new to you, yet if you’re a newcomer then you’ll find a plethora of gameplay mechanics and nuances that distinguish this series from other JRPGs. While the game finds itself following the traditional archetype of JRPGs, such as a somewhat clichéd story, Graces has something to offer to both veterans and newcomers alike.
The Tales games may be less recognizable than the Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy games, but that doesn't mean that they aren't worth playing!
“Tales series is considered one of the top three Japanese RPG series next to RPG giants like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy.”
How you gonna talk about the top three JRPG franchises and not mention Pokémon, the top selling series in the genre?
This is how the top JRPG series stack up
1. Pokémon - 340M
2. Final Fantasy - 144M
3. Dragon Quest - 78M
4. Monster Hunter - 52M
5. Kingdom Hearts - 30M
6. Souls - 25M
7. Tales of - 20M
Bandai Namco will host a “Tales of Graces Anniversary Party” event at the Maihama Amphitheater on November 24 in celebration of the game’s 10th anniversary, the company announced.
This was actually my first Tales game. Took me forever to complete it, as I stopped mid-way through for a long time. I eventually came back, and beat it. It really lingered in my thoughts afterwards, to the point where I just knew I had to play the other games in the series. I've been a huge fan of the series ever since. I'm really pumped for Arise, seems to be just what the Tales games needed as a refresher.
I really enjoyed the cast of this game. It caught me by surprise how good it was. I played it first because I was on a Tales of binge(I still am) and got hooked but that final boss was a long hard battle