Tales of Graces f

 PlayStation 3
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 55 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 55
  3. Negative: 0 out of 55
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  1. Gamer.no
    Oct 27, 2012
    70
    The characters are dreadful and the story is not much more than passable, but the combat system and character building is the best yet for the series. If you don't mind annoying characters, you'll have a blast.
  2. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Sep 25, 2012
    70
    While it feels a bit old fashioned with a lot of story to get through, Tales of Graces f is a decent translation. If you've shied away from JRPGs in the past this is as good a point of re-entry as any. [October 2012, p78]
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  3. Level7.nu
    Sep 17, 2012
    70
    Even though Tales of Graces F doesn't deliver anything new to the genre, it conveys a nostalgic experience with its high recognition value.
  5. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Sep 16, 2012
    70
    It is a great story. [Oct 2012, p.113]
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  6. Gamereactor Sweden
    Sep 13, 2012
    70
    Tales of Graces F feels like a really traditional Japanese RPG with old charm and old fashioned storylines. Unfortunately, that also includes old graphics and gameplay.
  7. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Sep 13, 2012
    70
    Tales of Graces F stands out from the crowd with its signature combat mechanic, called the Linear Motion Battle System, which has been around since the first game from 1995, but continues to evolve with each new chapter in the series. [September 2012, p.80]
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  8. Gamereactor Denmark
    Aug 31, 2012
    70
    It has its flaws, but Tales of Grace F is a solid adventure, and the combat system in particular helps create an experience that is more than your money's worth, once you sink your teeth into it.
  9. PlayStation Universe
    May 1, 2012
    70
    A good JRPG that needs more to make it great in the West.
  10. GameSpot
    Apr 25, 2012
    70
    Unbalanced difficulty and other issues cast a shadow on Tales of Graces f, but deep combat and endearing characters still shine through.
  11. PlayStation LifeStyle
    Mar 19, 2012
    70
    A well-made JRPG that never strays too far from its series roots.
  12. Joystiq
    Mar 16, 2012
    70
    It's the series' tried-and-true mix of campy charm, fast action, and a borderline-artistic knack for wringing entertainment from time-worn cliches that keeps fans coming back for more. In those areas, Tales of Graces F truly excels. It's far from a bastion of genre progressiveness, but as far as achingly traditional JRPGs go, you could do a whole, whole lot worse.
  13. Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)
    Mar 5, 2012
    70
    The cast is another pack of pastel-colored munchkins from anime central casting. [Apr 2012, p.77]
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  14. GameTrailers
    Mar 15, 2012
    67
    There's no mistaking that Tales of Graces was originally released on the Wii, and it seems that little effort was made to bring it up to PS3 standards.
  15. PlaySense
    Sep 17, 2012
    60
    I don't like giving a 'Tales' game such a low score, but Tales of Graces F doesn't leave me much of a choice. The game takes way to long to jump into second gear, while both the story and the graphics are mediocre at best. Our advice? Skip it.
  16. Eurogamer Germany
    Sep 7, 2012
    60
    The combat can never play out its strengths due to the botched balancing. The same goes for the otherwise solid mechanics behind abilities and crafting. The gameworld is one of the weakest in JRPGs in years, the design was made with child-compatible cosplay in mind and the rest moves through the unhealthy middleground of a genre that still tries to find a way to the future and nowadays celebrates its greatest successes with 2D-touch-titles. Solid maybe. Hardly world-shattering.
  17. Metro GameCentral
    Sep 4, 2012
    60
    For a Japanese role-player this is a fun, accessible romp, but it stops short of reinventing its ways out of any of the genre's more long-standing issues.
  18. games(TM)
    Sep 3, 2012
    60
    If you put any value in the game mechanics that have arrived over the last 20 years with a mind to prevent tantrum-inducing frustration, you might want to steer clear.
  19. Thunderbolt
    Apr 4, 2012
    50
    Despite its engaging combat, Tales of Graces f fails to distinguish itself from so many other JRPGs that have the exact same elements and handle them much better.

Awards & Rankings

66
#66 Best PS3 Game of 2012
24
#24 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2012
13
#13 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2012

User Reviews

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User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 386 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 322 out of 386
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 386
  3. Negative: 29 out of 386
  1. Eliphas
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    I was a bit put off by the apparent focus on friendship, but Tales of Graces f has really surprised me thanks to its mix of intrigues, war andI was a bit put off by the apparent focus on friendship, but Tales of Graces f has really surprised me thanks to its mix of intrigues, war and good character development. The world is vibrant and interesting to explore, the battle system is far deeper than the previous entries and the customization using titles is fantastic. I have already clocked 15 hours in less than two days, and I can't wait to see more and to have more localized Tales games!… Full Review »
  2. SacredGray
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    (Bottom line: trolls will be trolls, and if you're a Tales fan at all, you'll probably love this game, so buy it! Graces deserves your money(Bottom line: trolls will be trolls, and if you're a Tales fan at all, you'll probably love this game, so buy it! Graces deserves your money anyway, plus it will send Namco the message that they can release Tales games here and still make money, which is the key stepping stone toward getting Tales of Xillia.)

    Wow, I went to sleep last night and the user score was sitting at 9.0. I woke up this morning and it was at 7.3. That would mean whoever's been giving this game bad scores has been giving it 0's.

    Giving a game a 0 is just pathetic. Whoever's doing this is either trolling or actually trying to hurt the game sales. How about you play what you like, we play what we like, and nobody gets in anybody's faces? I swear.

    Anyway, as I said in my earlier review, this is a great Tales game, the best I've played since Symphonia. I play games mostly for gameplay and fun factor, and this game nails both of those.

    The voice acting is getting better and better with each Tales game, it seems. Yuri was the best-acted character in a while, but all the characters here (except maybe Sophie) have solid voice acting.

    The story is alright. It's no Final Fantasy Tactics, but it has its moments of political intrigue and hilarious character interactions, and it's not nearly as cringe-inducingly corny as other JRPG's.

    The only major flaws I can point out are the first four hours being boring and wonky childhood backstory; some inconsistent boss difficulty; and confusing backtracking.

    It's still a fantastic RPG and a solid rejuvenation of the starved genre.    … Full Review »
  3. skirus
    Mar 21, 2012
    9
    Hands down : If your a big fan of J-RPG , this is your game, fast action packed, with lots of combo's. Sure it may have some down sides likeHands down : If your a big fan of J-RPG , this is your game, fast action packed, with lots of combo's. Sure it may have some down sides like cartoon-ish graphics and linear gameplay, but its fun overall, and depending how long you play everyday , it will last a very long time if you play only about 4-5 hours a day. If your like me and wasted 3 whole days completing the game, just to beat it well there is a bonus for you! There is a New Game plus where you can start the game over again with bonus's such as 10x exp ! Face monsters you never faced before , go into a bonus dungeon! Combat is just like any other tales game from the starting from the play station 2 series and gamecube series to present. Check it out , Tales of symphonia, Tales of Legendia , all great games , the mechanics and all skits have been voiced over so basically everything is voiced , of course not everything is voiced. The battle system is fast action packed! As soon as you hit a monster , Bang! a monster appears before and becomes hostile towards you , you will be made to fight or escape it, but it is reccomended you fight every monster you see. There is a cooking and materialization system, cooking in battle, eating before battle , while in battle, finding rare materials, then the costumes and Mystics artes, are amazing, bright lights colors, its all amazing. The sound , the sound can be a bit repetetive, but it is amazing. There is a amazing co-oooooooop system! 4 players can play along with you and its even more fun to play with friends than going solo. If you like this game, you might like other J-RPG's Like the White Knight Chronicles. Graphics- 9
    Sound- 8
    Gameplay-10
    Mechanics- 10
    Keeps ya going? Hell yeah!    … Full Review »
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