What the hell is up with the fusing system? It has to be the least rewarding system I have ever seen. You never feel like you progress in this game. You find a new piece of gear, but you cant use it because the sword you got early in the game has a skill that gives you a bonus that makes the late game weapon a down grade. 

Also, what is up with the leveling? It gives almost no increases, it feel like 20 levels in this game is like 5 in a typical tales game. 

Titles? When you learn skills do they stick? Or do they only apply when you have the title equiped. 

Its a shame really, I really like the characters and art style in the game and the music is sublime, but what really hooks me in a Tales game is the character progression and unless I am missing something it feels like a mess. 

I am level 47 (about to head to earth trial) and I dont feel like I am much stronger than I was when I was level 27. I really hope they never use this sytem again in a tales game.

I complained about it in the JRPG thread and PS community thread.

First of all don't really bother with the fusion system untill you are at the end of the game or don't want all trophies.  

Secondly the fusion system is  broken but can be very powerfull.   

For example fusion items is not really random but is based on numbers and formula's.  

For example you have four slots in each weapon,  slot 1 skill will automatically carries over with a fusion. 

The rest of slots are based on a formula.   Imagine you have two Topaz swords one with the skill fire (in the second slot) and the second sword with the skill water (in the second slot).  If you would fuse those two you will see you get a different skill in the second slot.  When you tried it the first time you must be thinking wtf this is so random.

It really isn't random, every skill has a number for example fire is 4  water is 7.  Together they will create skill 11. (You canfind the formula's on the net or with a wiki guide).

Levels don't matter, no stats increase with leveling up, equipment is important in the game => higher difficulty more weapon drops and better ones.


Skills are very important, if you want weapons with a skill you can use the normin.  For example if you put the normin +10% dragon efficiency in a region you will get mostly equipment with that skill, play it on hard or harder and you get equipment with sometimes 3 times that skill in a equipment.

If you have a weapon with 3 times that skill the efficiency adds up, for example 3 times 10% dragon efficiency will end up as 30% dragon efficiency (30% more damage against dragon types and 30% less damage against you from dragon types).

I hope I make it more clear, if you just want to finish the game you should not bother, by now you know it is an easy game but if you want all trophies you should learn how to do it but don't bother before a second playtrough...   Also if you really want all trophies, start with making the snack skill always active so everyone will learn the skill and make stuff, because almost all of them need a /+30 snack skill for one trophy that asks the most time.

In my opinion the biggest lackluster feature of the game is the story, everything feels very arbitrarily put together and the main character has little to no will of his own as is more or less dragged along for the sake of story progression. The characters themselves lack uniqueness and spice to their personalities, feeling mostly like tropes of older games and let's not get into the whole Rose debate, her characters was forcefully interjected and it's never motivated why(by the developer).

I could forgive the character development and fusion system if only the story took some risks and tried to tread new territory but it doesn't, it plays it safe and is worse off for it. As much as I hated Xillia 2 for being a rehash of much of the material used in Xillia 1, at least it had an original story.

That being said I'm genuinely afraid for the Tales series future. Three of the latest games in the series has used the same or very similar art style and taken close to no risk with its characters making many titles feel been-there, done-that and formulaic. Tales of Berseria is the last chance I'm giving the series, it seems to star a powerful fighter-type female lead which is a first for the series I suppose. If the other characters adhere to old characters tropes and the story again is just rehashed or very similar in an effort to cut costs or not offend obstinate fans then I'm out, they've clearly forgotten why people became fans of the series to begin with. A very recurring theme in many old RPG series trying to modernize themselves today unfortunately...

Rose reminded me to much off Rita from Tales of vesperia in fact I liked Rita very much, Nerdy bitchy type I don't mind, didn't like Rose that much. My favourite was edna because the skits can be very enjoyable with her.

I only don't like the idea of Tales of Berseria being in the same world as Zestiria not sure after or before. Also Tales of Berseria's trailer felt more mature and the combination of pirtaes/Female hybrid wolf main character are things making me kind of hyped for tales of berseria.

I also wonder if Tokila understood anything what I said about the fusion system =p;

Ya, I get it, its just coming off what I thought was an incredible progression system in Tales of Graces (most recently played) this one is just not nearly as fun or addicting. I thought Xilia's was fairly simple, but at least it was fun. This one is just not fun. It feels like a chore for what feels like meager boost(I am sure endgame when you can make better combos it feels a little better, but you should not have to wait til endgame to get a sense of progression). 

I was gonna get this but last tales game i played was vesperia on 360 which i liked..how is this compared to vesperia?

thats the only Tales game since the PS2 ones I have not played.

Music is as good as any of them. Story? Not amazing so far, but I am only about 2/3 in, so maybe it has a good payoff. Gameplay, not as good as Graces, but pretty fun. To me all the issues (as I stated in OP) are with the progression system. 

If you are hungry for a JRPG get this, if not Star Ocean 5 is looking pretty good if you can wait.

Xillia was my favorite followed by graces. May try Zestiria, but think i'm just not that excited for JRPG's anymore.

well currently playing witcher 3 and xenoblade chronicles x so I will probably hold off until its under $20 digital

I agree that the story was the main issue here. The combat was pretty fun and there were other flaws that I didn't like but the main thing was the story just not being very good at all. I stopped playing the game at the end when I'm headed back to the original town and it's under attack or something like that. I pretty much just stopped playing and didn't care to go back. Plus I sold my gaming PC so couldn't really go back.