Tales Of Symphonia

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is a video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2. It debuted in Japan on August 29 2003, 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 release on September 22 2004. The game sold 118,000 copies during its first two weeks of sales in the U.S. and went on to sell over 800,000 copies worldwide.

The game was produced by Namco. It is the fifth main installment in the Tales RPG series, taking place long before Tales of Phantasia (hence a distant prequel), and was the third in the series to be officially released in the U.S. in many years. One notable characteristic of the game is its art direction by Kosuke Fujishima, a renowned Japanese manga-ka (comic-book artist).

In 2007, Ufotable will release a OVA in Japan based on the events of Symphonia.[[1]]

Characters

Plot Synopsis

Themes

Many legends and works inspire the game’s story. A prominent contributor is Norse mythology. Mithos Yggdrasill's name is taken from Yggdrasil, the world-tree that was believed by the Norse to support and nourish the world. Obviously, this concept of a world-tree is manifested in the Great Kharlan Tree. Kratos Aurion's name taken from Cratos, the personification of strength and power in Greek mythology. It is also possible it may be taken from the Greek word Kratos, meaning power. Zelos Wilder's name is also taken from Greek mythology, Zelus being the brother of Cratos and the personification of dedication and emulation. The Hindu/Buddhist tradition was utilized in the naming of several of Sheena's weapons and also one of Raine's (Vajra, Yaksa, Asura, Acalanatha, Hanuman). Islamic mythology was drawn upon for the names of Efreet and Bahamut. Japanese mythology contributed the legendary sword Kusanagi, which is the equivalent of Excalibur in the Western world. Also, the jewel and the mirror also received from the Sword Dancer are the other two legendary objects of Japanese mythology. Even obscure characters such as Sephira of Spanish mythology make brief appearances. Pagan themes are evident in the concept of the Goddess Martel and the general nature themes present in the game. The universal theme of death and renewal can be seen in the seesawing parallel worlds and the Chosen ritual and is specifically mentioned during one encounter with a unicorn. Typical high fantasy elements abound in the game as well, such as dwarves and elves. There are also elements from the Bible; the Seraphim came from the angel caste system, and the theme of achieving salvation is highly advertised by the Church of Martel. Humans who have turned to the side of the Desians are known as the "Fallen" in a book that Genis keeps in his room, which is a reference to the dualistic views of "good" and "evil" as taught by Christianity. The analogy of two parallel worlds originating from one and split asunder by a character from a team of four adventurers may be a reference to The Longest Journey, in which four Draic Kin split a world into two.

The game also carries a strong undercurrent of overcoming discrimination and racism. Half-elves are distrusted and despised by humans in both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. In Tethe'alla, half-elves are considered to be inferior and are at the bottom of the caste system, while in Sylvarant, a group known as the Desians, who wreak havoc upon the world, are pretty much the only half-elves there. This leads to a vicious cycle, in which humans persecute half-elves because nearly all of them are Desians, and the half-elves then join the Desians in order to escape persecution.

Game mechanics

Battle

Like the previous games in the Tales series, Tales of Symphonia uses a new version of the Linear Motion Battle System that almost every Tales game uses.

Unlike many traditional role-playing games, the Tales of Symphonia battle system is real-time rather than turn-based. All four characters in the battle can be controlled by players, or by the game's AI, which will make decisions according to player-controlled tactical guidelines. Battles can be paused at any time, and AI-controlled actions can be overridden with menus. Battle movement is relative to enemy characters. Players target enemies through a Zelda-style targeting system, and can move towards and away from that enemy, but not from side to side. The A button and B buttons (alone or with the control stick) govern melee and tech (magic and or special skills) respectively; if "Guard" is mapped to R, the game plays quite similarly to Super Smash Bros. Melee. Guarding is of much greater importance in Tales of Symphonia than in previous Tales games, as Symphonia characters take more damage when un-Guarded than do their series counterparts, and Guarding prevents "flinching" (being stunned after being hit by attacks) by blocking the attacks in the first place. While Guarding, tapping away from the enemy will result in a backstep, often useful in dodging attacks completely. Also, pressing the "Guard" button when knocked into the air will allow the character to right themselves before landing. However, being hit from behind while Guarding results in a Guard Break, leaving the character briefly vulnerable. Whereas Guarding helps fend off physical attacks, the characters eventually gain an additional defensive move called Guardian (the name may change depending on the character), used to defend against magical attacks.

The battle system's "special attack" move is the Unison Attack. They can be used when the Unison Meter, a blue bar above the characters' status displays, fills completely. In a Unison Attack, each character uses a Technique (special attack) at the same time. The available techniques are the ones mapped to the B button; the other three characters take over the A, X and Y buttons for the duration of the Unison Attack. If characters use certain Techs in the same Unison Attack (for instance, Colette's "Hammer Rain" and Lloyd's "Sonic Sword Rain"), they combine into a Compound Special Attack ("Stardust Rain"), similar to Chrono Trigger's Double Tech, and cause additional damage.

In battle, if not controlled by individual players, the characters will be controlled by AI. While the player can customize individual character AI in a variety of ways through the menu system, one can also issue orders in battle by pressing directions on the D-pad to make the party as a whole adopt a specific tactic; for instance, the Guard strategy will generally make the party members take up a posture with a stronger emphasis on defense, support and healing, whereas the All Out strategy will result in characters attacking aggressively with less regard to their HP/TP. These strategies are also customizable. The AI-controlled characters will generally use whatever techs they've learned; however, the player can disable certain techs at any time, preventing the AI from using them unless directly ordered (thus, for example, when in an area filled with fire-loving monsters, you can ensure your party members don't attempt to use fire-based attacks by disabling them). The player can directly order the use of another character's tech by opening the menu and selecting the move/spell. The player may also assign two tech "shortcuts" to the C-stick, allowing them to instruct another character to use a specific ability simply by tilting the stick.

Another new addition to the Linear Motion Battle System is "overlimit." Characters enter overlimit after having obtained a certain number of tension points (the required amount varies from character to character, with Sheena requiring the least and Kratos and Presea the most). Several things contribute to tension, though the most obvious factor is getting hit. However a character's tension points reset upon dying (though a death increases the tension of the other three party members). Primarily, overlimit removes "staggering", allowing the character to perform actions without interruption and reduces the amount of damage the character takes. In one case, overlimit allows for a special attack; Genis' "Indignation Judgment". Sheena cannot summon (with one exception) unless she is in overlimit. For spellcasters, it also reduces the amount of time to cast a spell. This is especially useful for spellcasters, who are normally prone to having their spells interrupted by enemy attacks. Some enemies can go into overlimit as well and when they do, they tend to have no casting time at all.

Cooking also affects when a character enters overlimit; a character who cooks a meal featuring a liked ingredient (for instance, rice for Sheena) will have points added to their tension, whereas using something disliked may lower points (for instance, tomatoes for Lloyd and Kratos). This is the reason why some characters enter overlimit the moment they enter battle.

Lloyd, Genis and Colette possess special moves, or hi-ougis, that can be activated under specific conditions (accompanied by a face cutaway shot). These are Falcon's Crest (often mistkenly called Divine Judgement), Indignation Judgement and Holy Judgement respectively. In the PS2 version, hi-ougis were added for other characters as well.

Leveling Up

Although Tales of Symphonia uses the typical experience point system, of characters gaining strength and abilities with the accumulation of EXP, several player-controlled factors determine which strengths and abilities the characters gain.

Each character can equip up to four EX Gems of varying strengths; each Gem can be set to a specific ability, from strengthening stats to providing out-of-battle bonuses (for instance, Zelos' level 2 Personal skill lets him charm items out of women), and certain combinations create bonus abilities. The nature of the EX Gem skills selected also determine whether the character will learn 'technical' or 'strike' Techniques, which alters the nature and sometimes the quantity of the Techniques available. EX Gem abilities, and the resulting technical-strike balance, can be altered at any time.

Each character also has up to 25 Titles, which are earned at certain levels, by completing certain events, or by completing certain challenges, and reflect aspects of the characters' personalities or their achievements. Colette, for instance, gains the title of "Chosen", whereas Raine is quickly labeled with "Archaeological Mania." Most titles determine which stats the character will increase in when they level up, but a few (such as Lloyd's "Beach Boy") provide no bonuses and instead change the character's costume.

Later in the game, you gain access to the Colliseum in Meltokio, progress through the ranks to find some of the best titles in the game, those that provide the most stat growth upon level-up. The Colliseum contains of three difficulties, which are beginner, intermidiate, and advanced.

Cooking

Tales of Symphonia also takes a novel approach to character recovery. The RPG standbys of inns and recovery items exist, but characters can also learn recipes from an eccentric character known as the Wonder Chef. If the character possesses the required food items, he or she can prepare a dish that will have beneficial effects upon the party, such as recovery of hit points and technical points, curing of ailments such as poison, or temporary boosting of character status. However, sometimes a recipe may be cooked unsuccessfully, resulting in wasted ingredients and greatly reduced benefits to the party. Mastery of each recipe is represented by a row of star icons; all characters start with only a few stars filled in, but the length of the row itself may also vary by character, representing personal taste and proficiency. The running gag concerning Raine's notorious lack of cooking skill is represented by the fact that many of her recipes max out at 2 stars of a possible 7 and include lemons; ironically, or perhaps understandably, her brother Genis is the best overall cook in the game.

Skits

In addition to cut scenes, various skits between the characters can be viewed while on the overworld, in towns, and in dungeons. They involve animated character portraits, subtitles, and, in the Japanese version, full voice acting. There are two varieties: those that are accessed by pressing the Z button, and those which are tied to physical locations on the overworld map. A few are mandatory, but are called up automatically by game triggers. Overworld-map skits have the added bonus of affecting Lloyd's relationships with other party members. Skits concern anything from character development (Colette keeping a stiff upper lip) to side details (Sheena raging at Zelos for his womanizing ways) to sheer tomfoolery (Lloyd asking Regal if he cooks the way he fights: with his feet).

Grade

Grade is awarded after battle. Grade is awarded or subtracted based on specific criteria that are fulfilled in battle. For example, scoring multi-hit combos increases Grade, but having a character die will subtract it; the length of the battle (in seconds) also has an effect. In normal and hard modes, the max amount of grade to gain/lose is 20, but in Mania Mode the number is tripled. Grade can be used to purchase items for customization and EX gems, or to buy bonuses when starting a New Game Plus.

Trivia

Several Easter eggs exist in the game, these include:

• Presea can gain the title "Dream Traveler", which will change her outfit. Her new outfit is identical to that worn by Klonoa, the star of his own game series.
• By wearing certain pieces of equipment, Zelos can gain the title Gilgamesh. This is the name of the hero of Namco's Tower of Druaga, and the equipment used to obtain the title is the equipment used in that game. In addition, the description of the title is a direct reference to events in Tower of Druaga.
• In the Toize Mine, there is an enemy resembling a rotating stone square called "Bacura". This enemy is actually from Namco's classic shooter Xevious, and has made cameos in other various Namco titles.
• In the game you are able to select which playable character you see moving around the maps and cities (the avatar). Each character interacts with the surroundings differently. For example: Colette can name dogs. When Zelos (a ladies' man) speaks to a female NPC, she will often hand him money or items (with personal ex-skill equipped). When Lloyd examines a locked door in one particular part of the game, he says that it's futile to attempt to open the door because it appears to be locked, while Kratos examining the door would say "it would appear to be locked."
• If characters wear their beach attire in Flanoir, the NPCs will comment on the ridiculous choice in clothing.
• A statue of Pac-Man (Namco's mascot) can be found in Flanoir. Examining the statue will confirm this.
• There is a GameCube in the Renegade's Sylvarant Base. This GameCube is identical to the limited edition ToS GameCube console that was only avalible to winners of a contest at Namco's official ToS website. (In the PS2 version of the game, the GameCube has been replaced with an unidentifiable machine.)
• If you finish the Colosseum's Advanced Party Matches, you will fight an exhibition match against Meredy, Garr, and Farah - characters from previous games in the Tales series (Garr/Woodrow from Tales of Destiny, and Farah and Meredy from Tales of Eternia).
• If you go into battle with Zelos or Presea's formal costumes, there is a random chance that their weapons will change to something ridiculous (a bunch of roses and a stuffed pink bunny). Sheena's successor will grant you the highest hand in a Japanese card game as her weapon. These weapons have no special effects - it's purely a visual effect.
• There's a couple on a ship in Palmacosta that will reenact a scene from the 1997 movie Titanic.
• The music featured in the opening of the North American GameCube version is similar to the field music from the RPG video game . Motoi Sakuraba composed the music for both games.
• In the slums of Meltokio, there is a man with a sword who asks after the whereabouts of a girl who was selling flowers, a possible reference to Aeris Gainsborough of Final Fantasy VII.
• While Zelos' name is derived from Greek mythology (as well as keeping in theme with Kratos' name), it also keeps alive an old tradition of NAMCO's by having a main character or entity bear that name.

• The Summon Spell Efreet bears a slight resemblance to the name of another Summon, Ifrit, that originated in Final Fantasy III. Also, Undine and Gnome are the names of two of the legendary elemental beings seen in Squre Enix's Secret of Mana series. They are of the same element in that game as they are in Tales of Symphonia.

Theme songs

Each version of the game has its own opening theme. The opening theme for the original Japanese version of Tales of Symphonia on the Gamecube is Starry Heavens, by the Japanese band Day After Tomorrow. For the Playstation 2 version of the game, Soshite Boku ni Dekiru Koto, also by Day After Tomorrow, takes its place. The opening theme for the American (Gamecube only) version of the game is not written or performed by Day After Tomorrow, however. Like the title of the game, it is "symphonic".

Links to Tales of Phantasia

Evidence that Tales of Symphonia is a prequel to Tales of Phantasia includes the following:

• The similarities between the world map of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla in Symphonia, and the world map of Aselia in Phantasia.
• The name of the world in Phantasia, Aselia, and the name of Lloyd's hometown, Iselia.
• What's more, in the end of Symphonia, Lloyd leaves Kratos's sword, the Flamberge, by Anna's grave. In Phantasia, the Sorcerer's Ring is found in an underground temple near where the Flamberge is in that game. The Sorcerer's Ring in Symphonia likely was returned to the Temple of Martel, near Anna's grave as well.
• The names of the moons in Phantasia, Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. These names are the same as those given to the worlds in Symphonia. Further, Sylvarant's moon in Symphonia is called "Tethe'alla," meaning the inverse is possible, if not likely. This would mean that the recombined world would have two moons, bearing the names of the two worlds, as in Phantasia.
• One of Lloyd's final weapons, the 'Material Blade,' are two of the three components necessary to forge the Eternal Sword in Phantasia, the Flamberge and Vorpal Sword.
• Cless's fighting style is a fusion of Lloyd's (various techniques like Sword Rain), Kratos's (techniques like Hell Pyre), and Regal's (the inclusion of Swallow Kick). In a skit in Symphonia, Lloyd mentions he would like to learn how to fight like Regal, to which Regal accepts.
• The possibility that Suzu Fujibayashi in Phantasia is a distant descendent of Sheena Fujibayashi in Symphonia.
• The existence of Ymir Forest as home of the Elves in both games.
• The fact that the final enemy in Phantasia, Dhaos, has angel wings in his final form; just as the 'angels' of Cruxis do in Symphonia and that the energy comes from Derris Kharlan.
• The renaming of the Great Kharlan Tree in the finale of Symphonia, where it is implied that Lloyd renamed the tree Yggdrasill in honor of the fallen hero/villain, Mithos.
• The similarity of the names of the heroes - Lloyd's "Irving" is very similar to Cless/Cress's "Alvein," given that Japanese pronunciation does not differentiate between the letters "r" and "l," giving "Arvein." It's possible that the name "Alvein" was an attempt at translating the English name "Irving" into the Japanese character system, a translation later done differently with Lloyd's "Āvingu."
• The existence of Martel in Phantasia, as well as the other summon spirits, save Celsius
• The location of the summon spirit Origin, who appears in a forest behind the home of the Elves in the Ymir forest in both games.
• The book Abyssion uses is called the "Necronomicon" which is also the name of Klarth's book/weapon he starts with in Phantasia.
• Similar themes concerning discrimination of half-elves.
• The angel Dhaos is from Derris-Kharlan, home of angels in Symphonia.
• The mention of the long-dead legendary pirate, Ifreed,in Phantasia and the presence of the pirate Aifread in Symphonia.

PlayStation 2 version

Namco originally planned Tales of Symphonia to be a Nintendo GameCube exclusive. In Japan, however, the game was released for both GameCube and PlayStation 2. In the PlayStation 2 version, among many other special features, there are 2 more anime cutscenes, several additional optional story scenes and side quests, some new monsters, more Techs and Unison attacks for characters to learn, and each character has an additional bonus costume. The logo has been changed to a magenta color. Unfortunately, there are some problems due to the limitations of the PlayStation 2. The load times for the PS2 are longer than in the GameCube version due to the use of a standard DVD size disc (which takes longer to spin up and incurs a longer seek/access time).

• [PlayStation 2 Version Screenshots]
• [PlayStation 2 Anime cutscene screenshots]
• [Costumes Exclusive to the PlayStation 2 ''version of Tales of Symphonia]

OVA

On June 20, 2006, Namco announced an official OVA (anime) for Tales of Symphonia planned to come out in Japan on the year 2007. By the direction of Haruo Tonosaki (2x2=Shinobuden)among others, and character design by Akira Matsushima (Rurouni Kenshin OVAs) http://www.ova-tos.com/

Notes and references

External links

• [Official English Website]
• [Official Japanese website for the GC version]
• [Official Japanese website for the PS2 version]
• [Tales of Symphonia art gallery]
• [Main Brazilian site for the game]
• [Symphonic Heaven (fan site)]
• [Temple of Undine (fan site)]
• [Tales of Symphonia at RFGeneration.com]
• [Game Rankings Rating]
• [IGN: Tales of Symphonia (GCN)] [PS2]
• [Tales of Symphonia] at Nintendo.com
• [Starry Heavens] - Fansite with character profiles and fanart.
• [Tales of Symphonia] - FLAREgamer Review
• [Symphonia Lounge -ToS Fansite-]