Title: Tales of Xillia Format: PS3
Release Date: August 6th, 2013
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Developer: Namco Bandai
Price: $59.99
ESRB Rating: T
Tales of Xillia comes to us from Namco Bandai, and it's yet another great RPG game for the PS3. We've gotten multiple RPG's this year, and Tales of Xillia may be one of the finest.
Story and Presentation:Tales of Xillia's story is reminiscent of a number of different JRPG's out there, but it brings it's own style and flavor into the mix. The story follows Jude, an innocent university student, and a demigod who has taken the form of a young teenage girl, named Milla. Milla is trying to restore the spirits who used to be her companions, but they were sucked into oblivion by a huge weapon. It's definitely out there, but if you've played games from Atlus, Square Enix, or Namco Bandai, then you won't be completely turned off. The narrative is told through many in game cutscenes, but there is a good number beautifully animated cinematics that resemble the likes of an anime. It reminded me of Ni No Kuni's cutscenes, even though the voice acting isn't as strong. Jude and Milla are voiced solidly, but it's obvious that the girl is the stronger character. Other than the two main characters, the voice acting is pretty spotty. Luckily the music is strong enough to carry the bland acting. This is easily one of the strongest scores I've heard this year. The visuals are great as well, but they won't blow you away. The game launched in Japan two years ago, so the localization of it didn't bring along any new graphical improvements, but it still looks good. Other than a few areas that are rife with pop in, the game runs smoothly, with quick load times in an out of battles which makes grinding a breeze.
Core Gameplay: Like I said above, there are two main characters you choose from at the start. The choice you makes rather subtle differences in the overall game experience, but it will all come down to which playstyle you prefer. It adds to the game's replay value, making it that if you want to see every bit of the game, you'll have to playthrough it twice. In terms of exploration, there is no traditional world map you explore, instead you're pushing down a pretty linear path thanks to it's quick travel mechanics. Once you explore an area, you can return to the area to achieve new challenges and rewards. The satisfying combat is where the game can really shine. It ditches the archaic turn based style battles for more fast paced and frenetic gameplay. It actually makes the game feel like a brawler, rather than a RPG. The A.I. offers a good challenge, and they won't allow you to just button mash through the game. The smart character progression supports the combat, offering you points to spend on the Lilium Orb system. It's a nice leveling system, and it harkens back to the License board style system found in Final Fantasy XII. The weapons and equipment are handled well as well, with you having to sacrifice some of your already acquired loot in order to unlock more. It's a fresh take on loot, and it's pulled off really well. The game's gameplay is solid all-around, and with the 40 hour campaign, it's just a blast to play.
Final Thoughts: Tales of Xillia is a great game, and it could be considered as one of the best RPG's we've gotten this year. The game has it's flaws, but even with technical and presentational issues popping up occasionally, it doesn't take away from the game's brilliance.
S&S Rating: 8.5/10 @whatsPlay
