Tales of Graces f

 PlayStation 3
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
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  1. 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 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    (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.    … Expand
  2. 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 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 II 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!… Expand
  3. Mypsnewsuk
    Aug 28, 2013
    10
    This is my game of the year so far, one that I bought with out looking into beforehand, the game is near enough perfect, from its graphics, soundtrack, characters and story everything about it just amazed me. The game took me at least 60 hours to complete meaning you definitely get your money's worth
  4. kbaka
    Feb 4, 2013
    7
    I wish Metacritic had an option to give a score of 7.5 bc that would be more accurate to how I truly feel. Tales of Graces f is a solid game that does a lot of things right but also is flawed in ways that you would expect to see from a last gen title. Any fan of JRPGs will be more than thrilled with the experience offered, however I'm not quite sure if this is a game the mainstream canI wish Metacritic had an option to give a score of 7.5 bc that would be more accurate to how I truly feel. Tales of Graces f is a solid game that does a lot of things right but also is flawed in ways that you would expect to see from a last gen title. Any fan of JRPGs will be more than thrilled with the experience offered, however I'm not quite sure if this is a game the mainstream can embrace. Tales of Graces is a story of friendship and sacrifice that borders heavily on the cliche and at times is so cheesy I couldn't take it but then again, it is a JRPG. Where this game truly shines is in its art style, combat, and customization options. The beautifully colorful worlds of Windor, Fendel, and Strahta are an absolute joy to explore. Each countries landscape and citizens have their own, unique feel to them and at times I found myself wondering whether or not these nations are meant to be symbolic of real nations throughout history (possibly WW2 era). Disappointingly though, players are extremely limited in where they can actually explore in the world. Hidden walls are a huge gripe I have with this game, along with the need to backtrack through familiar areas to achieve goals. The developers also created a world that is rather linear in your movement ability. Rarely will you stumble across any open areas when traveling between towns. The traveling paths have an almost corridor feel to them, which is unacceptable for a modern title and is a huge opportunity missed. While aethetically pleasing, the towns and wilderness of the game fall flat in trying to give off the impression that you are in a living breathing world. Citizens rarely have anything interesting to say and aimlessly wander to and fro on whats seems to be a track. Another opportunity the developer missed was the lack of choice in the game. The game is about as linear as it gets and the side-quests available to the player are mediocre at best, feeling like nothing more than cheap busy work. On a more positive note though, Tales more than makes up for these short comings with its masterfully crafted real time battle system which is one of my favorites ever in an RPG title. The sheer amount of attack options for each character is staggering and the way in which moves can be tied together and enhanced is superb. I also loved the way characters skills are developed as well, giving the player the freedom to chose how they want to battle and which skills to improve upon through the selection of "titles" which need to be unlocked through battle accomplishments. Weapon enhancement is another area I thoroughly enjoyed. The ability to "dualize" items was a blast to experiment with, some items altering the stats of an item while others altered the appearance as well. Where Tales lacks in freedom and depth in the non-battle portions, it more than makes up for in the combat aspects which is why I was willing to tolerate the restrictive, yet beautiful, world and play on through what is easily a 50+ hour game. One piece of advice I would offer to any prospective players though is DO NOT AVOID BATTLES WHILE TRAVELLING. This game has tremendous spikes in difficulty in boss battles and you will fail miserably if you don't put in your time with weaker foes. Luckily battle is a blast and you most likely will not mind doing this. I recommend this title to anybody with an appreciation for a more old school style JRPG but no one else.… Expand
  5. Friendzie
    Aug 25, 2014
    10
    The game grew on me tremendously. I mostly disliked the characters in the first 10 hours, but they develop quite a lot. Over the course of the game's 60+ hours, you'll be presented with 400 character skits that get more and more amusing as you go. There are some bad cliches and groan-worthy moments, but by the end it's mostly a very good experience. The battle system is one of the best ofThe game grew on me tremendously. I mostly disliked the characters in the first 10 hours, but they develop quite a lot. Over the course of the game's 60+ hours, you'll be presented with 400 character skits that get more and more amusing as you go. There are some bad cliches and groan-worthy moments, but by the end it's mostly a very good experience. The battle system is one of the best of all time, and the character stat development is in the hands of the player to a very large degree. Gaining levels from experience is, at best, a third of your potential growth. You'll have to discover new titles and develop weapons and armor through the crafting system to really get the most out of your team. The game features six difficulty levels to make sure you're always challenged, and an awesome "new game +" system where you're given points for how well you did in your last game, and you can use those to buy buffs that can even alter the rules of the game. For example, you can make it so that you and the monsters all do 10x more damage to each other. Again, the game just gets better as you go. The more time and effort you put into the game, the more you will find that you can get out of it.… Expand
  6. 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 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 beatHands 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!    … Expand
  7. Sirus222
    Apr 9, 2012
    9
    Tales of Graces F is a great game with a few minor issues. The plot, while not bad by itself, is really the weaker part of the game. Though the character and how they interact with each other are great and makes up for the plot. The combat system is fantastic and will reward you for understanding its mechanics. Each individual character are also pretty unique to control and are a blast toTales of Graces F is a great game with a few minor issues. The plot, while not bad by itself, is really the weaker part of the game. Though the character and how they interact with each other are great and makes up for the plot. The combat system is fantastic and will reward you for understanding its mechanics. Each individual character are also pretty unique to control and are a blast to play through. The visuals are crisp and vibrant which really helps its graphical style but the textures makes it obvious that the game's origins is on the Nintendo Wii. Exploration wise, its pretty linear where it only opens up during the last parts of the main arc, think Final fantasy X exploration wise. There is backtracking in TOGF but is offset by the Turtelz transportation option. The game's length is around 40-50 hours for the main arc and about 10 hours or so for the Lineage and legacies arc. The soundtrack is also probably the weakest part of the game's presentation. While not bad, its really not memorable at all except for a few tracks. Voice acting is also pretty good for the most part though Adult Richard has a few inconsistency problems at the start but those problems iron out during the later parts of the game. There are tons of content to do in the game such as Inn requests, arena battles, extra dungeons, sidequests, etc. Overall the game is a blast to play with the gameplay offsetting most of presentation issues. Pros
    - Fantastic combat system -individual character are a blast to play through -crisp and vibrant graphics -tons of content -character interaction Cons
    -soundtrack -textures -bit linear(like FFX) Tales of Graces F is also a game that I've played for 5 or 6 hours straight for about 5 or 6 days in a row. That's saying something for me personally.    … Expand
  8. HailKnight
    Mar 18, 2012
    10
    This is a great addition to the Tales series. The game at first goes slowly, but the deeper you get in the game, the more interesting and fast-paced it gets, not only because of the main plot, but also because of the character development and gameplay which can be quite entertaining if you actually try to think instead of random button mashing. The music and the graphics are not the bestThis is a great addition to the Tales series. The game at first goes slowly, but the deeper you get in the game, the more interesting and fast-paced it gets, not only because of the main plot, but also because of the character development and gameplay which can be quite entertaining if you actually try to think instead of random button mashing. The music and the graphics are not the best out there, but stand amazing for what they were made for. The voice acting has notably improved, making the characters sound better. This game, is colorful, creative and can have deem emotions to it. Tales has yet to deliver me a disappointment.… Expand
  9. SanAndreasX
    Mar 16, 2012
    9
    I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with this game so far. I like the characters and the battle system is one of the best RPG battle systems I've seen in a long time. I didn't have high expectations for the graphics since this game was originally for the Wii, but even the graphics are pretty nice, featuring clean, colorful texturing and crisp animation. This is the best game I have playedI have thoroughly enjoyed my time with this game so far. I like the characters and the battle system is one of the best RPG battle systems I've seen in a long time. I didn't have high expectations for the graphics since this game was originally for the Wii, but even the graphics are pretty nice, featuring clean, colorful texturing and crisp animation. This is the best game I have played this year, and I recommend it fully for any PS3 owner who likes RPGs.… Expand
  10. SpudCommando
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    Loads of content, great character interaction, best battle system out of all Tales games currently, and looks visually appealing for a port of a Wii game.
  11. HollowBattousai
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This game has brought back what a real JRPG is all about, I've been playing it for hours and I can't stop playing it, I hope Namco adds Japanese voice overs on future title since the English voice overs are not the best. The story is really well put together, just the first 30 min in and I was sucked in I wish more JRPG's and Animes alike had a story that captures you like this game did. AThis game has brought back what a real JRPG is all about, I've been playing it for hours and I can't stop playing it, I hope Namco adds Japanese voice overs on future title since the English voice overs are not the best. The story is really well put together, just the first 30 min in and I was sucked in I wish more JRPG's and Animes alike had a story that captures you like this game did. A lot may disagree with me but this is by far the best Tales yet.… Expand
  12. Hamilton
    Mar 17, 2012
    10
    IMPORTANT: it looks like yesterday the user score of this game has been artificially lowered by ten or more troll accounts voting 0 or 1 in the span of twenty minutes. This has extensively been discussed on Gamefaqs and other boards.

    Tales of Graces f is the port of a Wii game, but it really doesn't show. Polycount may not be the best in the PS3 lineup, but the game is crisp,    IMPORTANT: it looks like yesterday the user score of this game has been artificially lowered by ten or more troll accounts voting 0 or 1 in the span of twenty minutes. This has extensively been discussed on Gamefaqs and other boards.

    Tales of Graces f is the port of a Wii game, but it really doesn't show. Polycount may not be the best in the PS3 lineup, but the game is crisp, colorful, had textures and many models remade for this version and boast better animations than the previous HD Tales game, Vesperia, thanks to motion capture (this is especially evident considering facial animations).

    Being a Team Destiny game, its battle system throws away the TP of previous Team Symphonia games opting for the CC points, a dinamic combo count that will enable the player to execute deep, rewarding combos without the need to recharge their mana pool with items. The combats are far more fast paced and technicals than in previous entries, and the side step feature is really better than free run (even though that one is still here).

    The world of Efinea is one of the best, more believable and genuinely endearing seen so far in the series. Starting with a childhood arc focused on the characters' infancy, the plot steadily progresses to their adulthood, and completely changes tune in the process, showing the different perspective between the way children view the world and adults do. War, politics, ideological clashes and a bit of magic are all there to make things hard for Asbel and his friends, and while the heroes can be light-hearted and funny, there's also a lot to ponder in their interactions. The final arc, added in the PS3 edition, is a wonderful epilogue to a story that already had a nice climax, unlike some other big-name rpg recently released.

    Overall, this is one of the finest Japanese rpgs translated during this hardware generation, and probably the best Tales of game localized so far in terms of contents, even if Phantasia and Abyss will always be personal favorites of mine.    … Expand
  13. misterkatamari
    Mar 18, 2012
    8
    The game follows the typical JRPG story style and cliches, but that isn't really a bad thing. The battle system is extremely deep--with a little bit of a learning curve--and the gameplay is really where Graces shines. The characters and setting are still appealing, however, and the overall presentation (menus, graphic overhaul, extras) is really well done. It's one of the few games outThe game follows the typical JRPG story style and cliches, but that isn't really a bad thing. The battle system is extremely deep--with a little bit of a learning curve--and the gameplay is really where Graces shines. The characters and setting are still appealing, however, and the overall presentation (menus, graphic overhaul, extras) is really well done. It's one of the few games out that I don't regret paying $60 for, because I feel like I actually got my money's worth with all the hours I put into this. Plus, it has replay value out the whazoo, so it's just a great game for any RPG fan.… Expand
  14. unit_one
    Apr 13, 2012
    7
    Tales of graces f doesn't break any new grounds or tell a particular original tale but it's still definitely worth your attention in these times of jrpg drought. The tales series never had a huge fanbase outside of japan so it's of no surprise that not even half of the games get released over here. After petitions and thousands of begging from the fans to namco we finally get a tales gameTales of graces f doesn't break any new grounds or tell a particular original tale but it's still definitely worth your attention in these times of jrpg drought. The tales series never had a huge fanbase outside of japan so it's of no surprise that not even half of the games get released over here. After petitions and thousands of begging from the fans to namco we finally get a tales game released in the west after 4 years since vesperia. Tales of graces was originally a wii exclusive that came out in japan in 2009 right before ff13 jpn release. The game bombed and namco released a improved version for the ps3 to much success in japan. We received the definitive version of the game and i'm happy to report that it was worth the wait.

    Story and characters are a little bland in this game. It's not like it's bad but it just feels like namco has done this formula before but better. The characters don't stand out much and the story is very basic i know they could have done more with it but decided to play it safe. This results in a decent cast of character and a passable story.
    Graphically the game looks good. You can tell it was originally a wii game but the game still holds up it doesn't look incredible but it gets the job done. Character designs are a little weaker in this installment in my opinion but it's still a very nice looking game.

    Sound wise is easily in my opinion the weakest part of the game. Motoi sakuraba is a very talented composer and in my opinion this game is not one of his best work. A lot of the tracks just don't stand out and are very forgettable. A few are ok but for the most part it was very disappointing. The voice actors did a good job none of them felt annoying to me and they all felt appropriate. Gameplay wise is kind of a mix. The battle system is incredible one of the best i've seen in the genre. The tp system most of the tales fans in the west are familiar with is now replaced with the CC system. This adds alot of depht to the combat and prevents dumb button mashing. The battle system takes a while to master but when you do few games battle system will feel comparable. Out of battle the game is your typical jrpg run from point A to point B and then cutscene time pretty much throughout the whole game.

    Tales of graces f doesn't break you grounds but if your a fan of jrpgs then i'd recommend this game solely for the fact that you won't find much better on consoles in the genre for the next while.    … Expand
  15. dorchas
    Mar 17, 2012
    10
    I've put 30 hours into the game in less than one week, and I think it's my lifetime record so far. Graces is the best JRPG I have played in years, and its battle system is a lesson about this genre's potential other developer should learn from. The characters are also surprisingly likeable and funny, and their personalities are well defined and presented. I know a full score is a bigI've put 30 hours into the game in less than one week, and I think it's my lifetime record so far. Graces is the best JRPG I have played in years, and its battle system is a lesson about this genre's potential other developer should learn from. The characters are also surprisingly likeable and funny, and their personalities are well defined and presented. I know a full score is a big investment on a game, but if I don't give this game a 10 then I really don't know which game in the last year could deserve it, especially in this genre.… Expand
  16. Manji
    Mar 17, 2012
    10
    the battle system once you understand the mechanics it's very addictive. Even though this is a wii port the graphics still are very enjoyable to the eyes....the fluid of the battle system looks great. The characters so far have their share of good and bad....but that comes with the territory of every rpg.....you will have great, good and bad characters. The music is forgettable, why won'tthe battle system once you understand the mechanics it's very addictive. Even though this is a wii port the graphics still are very enjoyable to the eyes....the fluid of the battle system looks great. The characters so far have their share of good and bad....but that comes with the territory of every rpg.....you will have great, good and bad characters. The music is forgettable, why won't they use more score pieces from GO Shiina is just mind boggling.… Expand
  17. darkwinds
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    I put in 12 hours on this game today, I love it so much. The battle system is great, it's a breath of fresh air for me compared to the games I usually play. It doesn't even feel like grinding when I'm crushing random enemies for titles and skills--and that's a rarity, I spent the better part of probably about 2-3 hours just grinding away for the hell of it and I didn't get bored. It'sI put in 12 hours on this game today, I love it so much. The battle system is great, it's a breath of fresh air for me compared to the games I usually play. It doesn't even feel like grinding when I'm crushing random enemies for titles and skills--and that's a rarity, I spent the better part of probably about 2-3 hours just grinding away for the hell of it and I didn't get bored. It's engaging and fast-paced, making you think on your feet a bit more than the other entries in the series that I've played. I like it so much, so far it's probably safe to call it my second favorite entry into the series out of what I've played so far. The characters are fun, and it's very interesting to try and guess where the plot is going to go next--and to see if my initial impressions of the characters were right! I highly suggest this game to any fans of the Tales series, or (J)RPGs in general.… Expand
  18. Arrei
    Mar 21, 2012
    9
    I'd give this more of an 8.5 than a 9, but better to round up than down, eh? It's definitely a great game. Combat may be a little alien at first, but it feels good once you're in the groove, plus this game has the bonus of making even the casters feel good to control.

    The lack of a traditional overworld may seem like a deterrent, but it's done quite well. Discoveries, search points,    I'd give this more of an 8.5 than a 9, but better to round up than down, eh? It's definitely a great game. Combat may be a little alien at first, but it feels good once you're in the groove, plus this game has the bonus of making even the casters feel good to control.

    The lack of a traditional overworld may seem like a deterrent, but it's done quite well. Discoveries, search points, treasure chests scattered about and the occasional NPC give you plenty to look for as you progress through the game.

    Story's certainly somewhat predictable to an extent, but it's done well with Tales' usual stellar character interactions. There are many skits to be found, especially if you search out Discovery Points, and they all serve to make the cast more endearing. Many are pretty funny, as well. The skits and cutscenes in this game really make it apparent how much character interaction can make or break a story. Just be prepared to hear "friend" and "protect" a lot.

    As for negative points, you can tell this was a Wii remake, and the scenes with lip-syncing cause noticeable awkwardness with the pauses in the voice acting. Scenes that don't have lines synced to the lips are significantly better, and voices are cast well for the most part, with a handful of exceptions from scene to scene.    … Expand
  19. Cross
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    I love this game it has to be one of the best tales games i have played. I love the new way they did the combat in this one it makes it a just a bit more challenging. So in short two thumbs way up.
  20. GerrickTrier
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    It's an excellent game thus far, I highly recommend the purchase. It's a great game in a great series. Art style is fantastic, story line is engaging, and the combat is just alot of fun. I highly recommend it!
  21. Erie
    Mar 20, 2012
    8
    Very similar to Tales of Vesperia in all aspects, story is a little weaker but still good. Kept my attention throughout, and couldn't put the controller down. Well worth the play-through.
  22. Soliant
    Apr 2, 2012
    8
    I give this game a very tentative 8. As far as ejoyment of this game goes I'd give it a perfect 10/10. If you're a JRPG fan, there's no reason you shouldn't pick this title up. It's lengthy, enjoyable, the battle system is fantastic and one of the most enjoyable ones I've ever played, I just have some minor problems with the game. The journey definitely feels like an RPG. I playedI give this game a very tentative 8. As far as ejoyment of this game goes I'd give it a perfect 10/10. If you're a JRPG fan, there's no reason you shouldn't pick this title up. It's lengthy, enjoyable, the battle system is fantastic and one of the most enjoyable ones I've ever played, I just have some minor problems with the game. The journey definitely feels like an RPG. I played about 45 hours and felt challenged from many encounters. I had to train tirelessly to fight many enemies. This is because I played the 2nd hardest difficulty. Your basic battles (usually) will be easy, boss battles intense, and special battles hardcore. I hear normal is enjoyable but challenging to the point where you will get game overs (to a seasoned player).

    Again I can't say enough good things about game and want to give it a 10/10 with every fiber of my being, but some aspects are weaker so I gave it a 8/10    … Expand
  23. alzarus
    May 11, 2013
    4
    The game just copypaste itself again and again and again. The most of the dungeons are extremely annoying: 2-3 designed rooms wildly combined and repeated in a very dumb way. No world map. Instead of this they story forces us to visit the same locations hundreds of times. It looks like the developer was just too lazy to put there an appropriate amount of game-content.
  24. akumamage
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    Wonderful game, despite what the butt hurt ffxiii dones say
  25. Jirayasannin
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This has to be the finest jrpg on Playstation 3, I bought it after experiencing Abyss and Vesperia's awesomeness, and Graces so far is keeping up the Tales tradition of great battles and overall quality. I'm loving the cast, especially Asbel, Malik and Pascal, and the voice acting is some of the best I've heard in quite some time. This is definitely a game every jrpg fans out there shouldThis has to be the finest jrpg on Playstation 3, I bought it after experiencing Abyss and Vesperia's awesomeness, and Graces so far is keeping up the Tales tradition of great battles and overall quality. I'm loving the cast, especially Asbel, Malik and Pascal, and the voice acting is some of the best I've heard in quite some time. This is definitely a game every jrpg fans out there should experience.… Expand
  26. Valens
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    I was never a big fan of Tales games, but Graces f so far has exceeded all my expectations. The story isn't childish at all (they should've scrapped the Friendship Trailer and shown the latest trailer about war and conflicts, since it portrays the game far better), the battle system is wonderful and the old-school rpg vibe I love is still there, meaning you will likely talk with every npc,I was never a big fan of Tales games, but Graces f so far has exceeded all my expectations. The story isn't childish at all (they should've scrapped the Friendship Trailer and shown the latest trailer about war and conflicts, since it portrays the game far better), the battle system is wonderful and the old-school rpg vibe I love is still there, meaning you will likely talk with every npc, explore every nook and cranny of the world and try out every title. So far, it's the best Japanese rpg on home consoles I have played this generation.… Expand
  27. Aizmov
    Mar 17, 2012
    10
    Tales of Graces is what a JRPG shall give the players, solid and clear story, variant of characters, good battle system and good set-up, it may lacks at some points, but at an era where the JRPG suffers lack of originality this game comes to prove again that JRPG can keep the fans happy as simple as it may get
  28. ryuzaki57
    Mar 18, 2012
    8
    Technically speaking, ToGf is a straight port from the Wii version, which makes it significantly below Tales of Vesperia (which unfortunately never made it to the West on PS3). Even though characters clearly donâ
  29. Draklor
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    Battle system is amazing once you get past the steep learning curve. Voice acting is not half bad, and better than I expected. Great entry in the Tales series.
  30. TrivolMcKenley
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This is the best Tales game I've played since Symphonia. Abyss was a bit of a drag but this one was far more interesting to say the least. Not to mention that this is really a port so there are some things that are a bit buggy like the lip syncing. I would hope they would bring other Tales games to the US.
  31. dragonknight4
    Mar 16, 2012
    10
    This game is great! It combines classic elements of the classic JRPG genre with an innovative Style Shift Linear Motion Battle System (SS-LiMBS). At first glance, the battle system appears similar to games like Star Ocean 3 & 4 and the other Tales games, but I've found the battles in this game more fun than the others. The music was composed by Motoi Sakuraba who has composed music for theThis game is great! It combines classic elements of the classic JRPG genre with an innovative Style Shift Linear Motion Battle System (SS-LiMBS). At first glance, the battle system appears similar to games like Star Ocean 3 & 4 and the other Tales games, but I've found the battles in this game more fun than the others. The music was composed by Motoi Sakuraba who has composed music for the Valkyrie Profile series, the Star Ocean series, and the Tales series. I also found the characters very likable and the story enjoyable. If you like anime inspired artwork and want a true classic JRPG that doesn't play like the modern crap, then get this game.… Expand
  32. Richard12
    Apr 6, 2012
    5
    Tales of Graces has a decent battle system, but is really bland in virtually every other area. I can stand the anime cliches and enjoy the game for pretty much every other Tales I've played, but this one was really bland and repetitive with some of the most annoying characters I've ever encountered in a video game. I was honestly expecting better. Worth picking up if you can standTales of Graces has a decent battle system, but is really bland in virtually every other area. I can stand the anime cliches and enjoy the game for pretty much every other Tales I've played, but this one was really bland and repetitive with some of the most annoying characters I've ever encountered in a video game. I was honestly expecting better. Worth picking up if you can stand stereotypical JRPGs and have nothing else to play, though.… Expand
  33. frantisek
    Mar 22, 2012
    10
    This is, without question, the finest J-RPG currently available in the west on high-definition consoles. While it isn't a graphical powerhouse, often betraying its Wii origin, its battle system is easily one of the best ever seen in the genre, combining the depth of turn based games and the fast pace of action games thanks to the Chain Capacity system and providing tons of in-depth optionsThis is, without question, the finest J-RPG currently available in the west on high-definition consoles. While it isn't a graphical powerhouse, often betraying its Wii origin, its battle system is easily one of the best ever seen in the genre, combining the depth of turn based games and the fast pace of action games thanks to the Chain Capacity system and providing tons of in-depth options to use your character to build stylish and efficient combos with the side step and guard stances. Free run, while still here, will likely go unnoticed considering how Team Destiny has been able to streamline the usual Tales combats. Another surprise here is the story: the much-hated upon childhood arc is actually just a short prologue meant to show the contrast between the childish dreams of the characters and the real world's harsh reality, and when the real plot kicks it's all about war, politics, betrayal and mistery, easily rivaling Tales of the Abyss for the crown of best Tales story. Asbel himself is a believable hero with a lot of shortcomings that actually make him a real person instead of your cookie cutter hero. I couldn't be more pleased with Tales' return to the west, and I eagerly wait for any other entry in this wonderful series.… Expand
  34. Rawsquid
    Mar 29, 2012
    10
    Tales of Graces is a fantastic RPG. With a story, characterization, new battle system, and soundtrack of the highest quality, this game surely has a place in the Tales series while bringing completely new content to the genre. This series has always been known for its characterization, and its ability to make you care about these characters in the 50-100 hour quests. The new and improvedTales of Graces is a fantastic RPG. With a story, characterization, new battle system, and soundtrack of the highest quality, this game surely has a place in the Tales series while bringing completely new content to the genre. This series has always been known for its characterization, and its ability to make you care about these characters in the 50-100 hour quests. The new and improved battle system is completely unmatched by any other Tales game before it, as well as most RPGs in my opinion. Real time RPG batles can become very repetitious and usually resort to button mashing, and this can be said for past Tales games as well, but Tales of Graces introduces a much more involved and complex system that calls for precise timing and strategy, as well as having to know the skill trees, strengths and weaknesses of the character you choose. It reminds me a little of Dark Souls's "avoid/block and strike" combat, just not quite as difficult. I thought the decision to begin the game and story in childhood and then advance to adulthood hours later, was brilliant, because it gives the story a strong foundation in which all the important events are tied to. This time-advancing element is rarely seen in games and the way it was incorporated in Tales of Graces is perfect. I understand Tales of Graces, or the Tales series itself isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if you appreciate/are a fan of JRPGs, anime, or both, please do yourself a favor and consider getting this game (or watch clips from youtube to learn more about it). I would love to see this game sell well so we can get other Japanese Tales games that unfortunately don't make their way over here.… Expand
  35. Acestar
    Mar 19, 2012
    10
    That good JRPG i've been waiting to have in my non-existence library of "good" JRPG PS3 games.
    Tales of Graces f is just what JRPG fans need right now. It's got a handful of shortcomings, but they're diminished by the fact that this title captures the classic RPG spirit so well. It's the first console RPG in a long time where we've been engrossed enough to explore every nook and cranny,    That good JRPG i've been waiting to have in my non-existence library of "good" JRPG PS3 games.
    Tales of Graces f is just what JRPG fans need right now. It's got a handful of shortcomings, but they're diminished by the fact that this title captures the classic RPG spirit so well. It's the first console RPG in a long time where we've been engrossed enough to explore every nook and cranny, talk to every villager, search everyone's houses, and find all the paths possible in a dungeon. And for many, that's all they could want at this point â    … Expand
  36. skywes27
    Mar 25, 2012
    10
    Tales of Graces f is one of the best Tales games I've played in the series. Even though it's a port of the Wii the graphics are colorful and great to look at. The battle system is so awesome and addicting. For anyone looking for a JRPG or just an RPG in general should really go out and buy this game. Hopefully if enough people buy this game namco will localize Tales of Xillia in the US.
  37. 5onic
    Jan 20, 2013
    10
    I'm not a fan of anime, I'm not a fan of JRPGs. However Tales of Graces pulls you in with its innovated battle system that is simply, fun. Me and my friends had a 4 player co op experience and it's unbelievably like no other gaming experiences. If you really want to just have fun this is the perfect game. The game play is just so amazing and brings ton of replay value.

    I care more about    I'm not a fan of anime, I'm not a fan of JRPGs. However Tales of Graces pulls you in with its innovated battle system that is simply, fun. Me and my friends had a 4 player co op experience and it's unbelievably like no other gaming experiences. If you really want to just have fun this is the perfect game. The game play is just so amazing and brings ton of replay value.

    I care more about the gameplay than anything else, however I guess I should bring up the other points for those who are wondering.

    Game play - It's perfect experience especially up to 3 more buddies.
    Music/Sound - Decent enough to be a filler.
    Story - Decent enough, could be way better but the game play makes you not care as much.
    Replay Value - Is perfect. So many side quests, so much fun and so much more extra content that you won't get bored anytime soon.

    This game is simply a 10/10 for me. Game play is the most important focus for me and it's pretty much perfect. Story and all that jazz are extra and doesn't hurt the game play too much.

    P.S: Completed the game three times so far.    … Expand
  38. maddrops
    Jul 31, 2012
    10
    This game was very fun and exciting. The characters were well written and they even added a little humor to the dialogue which was pretty cool. I would recommend this game too much any type of gamer as it wasn't too hard to play even if you're not an rpg year wasn't too difficult to learn how to play this game.
  39. ss4gaming
    Feb 9, 2013
    10
    I have no idea why some people are being negative to this game its absolutely amazing it has great graphics and i love the battle system its so much fun when you get used to it and the characters are so good. It also keeps that tales of charm and always has me laughing.
  40. jirren
    Nov 1, 2012
    10
    I am fairly biased with the Tales series, however this game is one of the best, the only downfall is that the difficulty dramatically changes and becomes extreme towards the end even if you are level 65. The story is good, characters and voice acting are fun just like it should be in a Tales game.
  41. CadeWylan
    Jun 25, 2020
    1
    Terrible voice acting, cliched story, bad characters, bad graphics, and a just plain over-hyped battle system. All flash no substance. I've played every 3D tales of, and this is one of the only two I haven't finished. It does nothing to reel you in, it has no compelling elements and doesn't have anything that another Tales of game doesn't do better. Not to mention all the other games youTerrible voice acting, cliched story, bad characters, bad graphics, and a just plain over-hyped battle system. All flash no substance. I've played every 3D tales of, and this is one of the only two I haven't finished. It does nothing to reel you in, it has no compelling elements and doesn't have anything that another Tales of game doesn't do better. Not to mention all the other games you could have bought and not wasted money on.… Expand
  42. Kenmei
    May 6, 2012
    5
    This is my second review for this game and, to me, this game really let me down after completing the entire thing, Main story and epilogue all the way through. Fans of Vesperia will be vastly disappointed with the TERRIBLE storyline. I swear, if I hear about friendship one more time, I'll go crazy. It's as if they are trying to take a sledgehammer to your head over and over and over andThis is my second review for this game and, to me, this game really let me down after completing the entire thing, Main story and epilogue all the way through. Fans of Vesperia will be vastly disappointed with the TERRIBLE storyline. I swear, if I hear about friendship one more time, I'll go crazy. It's as if they are trying to take a sledgehammer to your head over and over and over and over........and over again with the idea of friendship, as if they hadn't mentioned before what the main point of the story was. It's something that will annoy you as you go along. Just count how many times they say the word 'friend' and you'll see what I mean. Also the characters are barely lackluster, with Hubert and Malik being the main stars of the show. Everyone else is just your stereotypical whimpy guy/love-struck girl/amnesia girl/spunky mage/whatever. There's nothing new here and, even though Vesperia didn't exactly set the bar high for originality, at least the characters were able to carry that story from start to finish. The same cannot be said for this game. It's sad that this game was a giant flop since I don't know if people will buy the game, which would force Namco to release Xillia here in the states, which is the Tales game that we all want and crave. If for nothing else than to tell Namco we want Xillia here in the states, buy this game. You might enjoy it but I doubt it. You might enjoy but the bigger issue here to send a message IMO.… Expand
  43. Kaemon
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    Best tales game in a long time. The change in the battle system is refreshing. Don't let the trolls make you think this isn't a good game. The fact that they even brought it over to America is amazing.
  44. akumarage1
    Mar 21, 2012
    10
    linear path my ass, that guy does NOT have the game, otherwise, he would have already known that the game lets you roam in the open map when traveling from city to city. Like any other game, if you are on a mission in the city, you have to complete the mission before leaving. Remember all the old school rpgs?

    Sounds like a FFXiii-2 butt hurt fan
  45. metatcn
    Mar 19, 2012
    5
    Decent battle system but everything else is very poor presentation. The two main characters are some of the worst in the franchise, weak and rushed job story, hence why there is a epilogue because they tried to jam in last bit of left over plot and character development, but a little too late. That's another thing usually skits are bread and butter of character development but there isDecent battle system but everything else is very poor presentation. The two main characters are some of the worst in the franchise, weak and rushed job story, hence why there is a epilogue because they tried to jam in last bit of left over plot and character development, but a little too late. That's another thing usually skits are bread and butter of character development but there is very little here as lots of characterization was skipped over main game as game was rushed. The graphics are poor, and lack of an overworld. Lots of invisible walls. Plus the music is forgettable, a tales game where music is forgettable, very disappointing. Also the enemies have got to be a new low in the franchise. I mean really a boss is just a bigger version of a random enemy. When an enemy is a bland blob you get an idea how bland and uninspiring the games enemy variety and villains are. This game came out after vesperia and it's a huge disappointment, maybe because graces is a wii port and has to do with that consoles limitation but for an HD tales game very bad presentation. If you played a team destiny game before like eternia or rebirth you know the story is not going to be amazing but those games are 7+ years old and sad to see not much has changed and worst characters have taken a big step back from the fun characters of old. If you don't care about story/characters this can be a decent grindfest but if you are tales fan that expects great presentation like Symphonia team games like symphonia, abyss and Vesperia you are not gonna find any polish here. I think a lot of fan reviews here are blinded by the fact they are just happy that PS3 tales game is finally out, but as someone who played the full game it's very disappointing flagship sequel. I expect this from external studios that do innocence, mythology and Legendia, but even those games had decent presentation a lot better then flagship graces f. Only reason I not giving it below a 5 is because there is a nice battle system, too bad it's so boring to play as there is no cool enemy or music or anything to enhance it experience.… Expand
  46. houjo2000
    Oct 13, 2012
    10
    Not as good as Tales of Vesperia or Symphonia. That said, still one of the best RPGs of the past decade. Great combat system, graphics, etc... all the stuff you expect from a Tales game- if you liked other Tales games you'll like this one. Most off putting thing I'd say is how they shove the theme of friendship in your face like a children's anime, the game feeling much more childlike thanNot as good as Tales of Vesperia or Symphonia. That said, still one of the best RPGs of the past decade. Great combat system, graphics, etc... all the stuff you expect from a Tales game- if you liked other Tales games you'll like this one. Most off putting thing I'd say is how they shove the theme of friendship in your face like a children's anime, the game feeling much more childlike than the darker Vesperia.

    But, due to certain parts of it I can't say it's completely aimed at little kids.

    Asbel is one of the blandest Tales main characters I've seen- but Cheria grew on me, and Pascal is now one of my all time favourite characters.

    If you like RPGs, this is a great choice if you have a ps3.    … Expand
  47. AJS
    May 16, 2012
    10
    I think this is my new favorite tales game. The story was good, but the characters were even better. It's one of the few games where I actually liked all of the characters! None of them were annoying or pointless. The skits were well written, and I laughed quite a bit while playing the game. Having a post game arc to wrap things up was ingenious. I think the lineage arc was probably theI think this is my new favorite tales game. The story was good, but the characters were even better. It's one of the few games where I actually liked all of the characters! None of them were annoying or pointless. The skits were well written, and I laughed quite a bit while playing the game. Having a post game arc to wrap things up was ingenious. I think the lineage arc was probably the most entertaining part of the game. I strongly recommend playing this, especially if you're an rpg/story fan!… Expand
  48. Candlecake
    May 21, 2012
    10
    I love the tales games. My favorite is still tales of symphonie, but this is a great game too. I wish they had blood though, and sometimes lines can Gerry pretty corny, but for the most part it's suspenseful and even surprising!
  49. cipher86
    Mar 25, 2012
    5
    A game with a cool combat mechanic is ruined by terrible allied AI, cheap enemy tactics (you can become OP if you know how the combo system works, to counter this the AI can randombly become immune to combos), poor pacing, immense amounts of backtracking (you spend the first 20 hours running between the same 3 areas, if you thought Dragon Age 2 was bad this is an all new low), mediocreA game with a cool combat mechanic is ruined by terrible allied AI, cheap enemy tactics (you can become OP if you know how the combo system works, to counter this the AI can randombly become immune to combos), poor pacing, immense amounts of backtracking (you spend the first 20 hours running between the same 3 areas, if you thought Dragon Age 2 was bad this is an all new low), mediocre graphics, a terrible story and a cast full of hamfisted cliche characters. Nearly all voiceovers sound like the actors were pulled in off the street, handed a script and told to read. Very disappointing entry in the "Tales of..." series, I couldn't break the 20 hour mark.… Expand
  50. Bradissorad
    Mar 24, 2012
    10
    this game is coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool
  51. Becial
    Mar 22, 2012
    6
    While the battle system is fun, it could actually use a little more work. Things are almost too chaotic and at least in comparison to other Tales games and it can be difficult to follow combos. The story relies heavily on the characters to make it interesting but the characters don't come off as enjoyable to follow as ones previous games. This is a step down in every department fromWhile the battle system is fun, it could actually use a little more work. Things are almost too chaotic and at least in comparison to other Tales games and it can be difficult to follow combos. The story relies heavily on the characters to make it interesting but the characters don't come off as enjoyable to follow as ones previous games. This is a step down in every department from game play to music from Vesperia and pretty much all other major Tales games. It is still fun if you are a fan though. If you are new to the series and play this, you will be amazed at the level of polish if you go back and play the other ones.… Expand
  52. zentensu
    Oct 27, 2014
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. worst tales game out of them all. I have played all of the tales games that have been made. mostly in part due to the fans that patched some for English that allowed me to play the older ones. but this one is hands down the worst of all the tales of games,first off. the prelude is unbearably long its only even semi playable because of sophie, without her the fights would be impossible to play. next, the new fighting system, its CRAP the limitations placed on you because of the title system on learning arts, and how few arts there are in the game. it makes it the less user friendly fighting systems in any tales game, and the fact that you cant set the arts you want, all this games fighting system is, is button mashing, grant it most of the others are as well, but with manual they make it so its less of a button masher game. next the title system. how the titles are done in this game, they give you stats and skill in this game LEVELING DOSE NOT. if you put on a title for a costume you lose a chunk of your stats because of that. next the map. if you have ever played any of the tales games after the ps2 (tales of the abyss mostly) you know how the ma system should be, and they compactly diverged from that, made it a comp linear map, you cant fast travel tell you are pretty much done with the game so that makes doing side quests completely unbearable. THE ONLY plus this game has is the awesome fighting style that asbell learns when he grows up. its ONLY worth a play to play it once for the story, it is NOT worth the time to replay it like all the other tales of games, play it once then never again. im trying it again now that i have forgotten the story and i still hate it. but ive beaten the newist tales of game that was released (Tales of xillia 2) and i want to play a older one without hooking up a older system. this game is a HUGE **** up in the tales of series and needs to be forgotten NOW… Expand
  53. ADIL
    Jun 29, 2012
    10
    the best game on ps3 [2012] rpg system ... i like this game ... if you ilke RPG style japan buy this game Tales of Graces f ps3 waoooo ..... 10/10 my name adil khojah from saudi arabia see u all ...
  54. Meli
    Mar 20, 2012
    3
    I pre-ordered this game even though there was no dual audio. After 20 hours put into the game, I must say I shouldn't have bought the game. There is no open map / world so you're always going in a linear path with no where to explore. At least in Final fantasy X's case it was done beautifully but in this game, you can't even grind or do anything beside walking and walking with occasionalI pre-ordered this game even though there was no dual audio. After 20 hours put into the game, I must say I shouldn't have bought the game. There is no open map / world so you're always going in a linear path with no where to explore. At least in Final fantasy X's case it was done beautifully but in this game, you can't even grind or do anything beside walking and walking with occasional boring skit. You need to go in town and come back to have monsters reappear. Don't get me started on the VA. At least the game play and music isn't bad. Overall I can't put myself to finish this game. I gave up after 34 hours.… Expand
  55. AwesomeGamer
    Apr 11, 2012
    10
    Great game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    PS3 exclusive Games =awesome!!!

    Every body should buy this awesome game, you must buy this awesome game, PS3 4 life!
  56. sasuke619
    May 8, 2012
    10
    I have been a fan of the Tales series since Tales of the Abyss came out on the PS2. After playing through Tales of Vesperia, and then through Tales of Graces, I have to say that Graces is my favorite in the series. The graphics hold up well for being originally on Wii, and the story and combat are a ton of fun. Highly recommend this title.
  57. GrumpyReviewer
    May 30, 2012
    7
    Surprisingly good game. When I picked this up I really had not great expectations. This is a very warmhearted game that all JRPG fans deserve to take a look. It's fun, it's pretty; the dialogue and the gameplay are great and there are even a couple of twists along the way to keep things exciting. Definitely worth a look.
  58. SubStatus
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    A must for jRPG fans who own a ps3. Considering the original was released for the wii I was expecting that there might be a lot of indications that would make it noticeable as a port. But I was proven wrong and actually one of the best games I've played.

    The combat system in this iteration in my opinion is the best one out of all the Tale's games so far to be released in English. You    A must for jRPG fans who own a ps3. Considering the original was released for the wii I was expecting that there might be a lot of indications that would make it noticeable as a port. But I was proven wrong and actually one of the best games I've played.

    The combat system in this iteration in my opinion is the best one out of all the Tale's games so far to be released in English.

    You may find however that in some parts that the dialogue can start to become forced and even sometimes so repetitive that its almost intolerable. But if you stick with it the game is a rewarding experience.    … Expand
  59. darkwraith
    Jan 16, 2013
    8
    The first Tales of Graces i have played and i think the first in the series available in europe.
    The Tales series is a well known franchaise in japanese rpgs. And is very popular with japanes players. The characters are likeable and the animation and graphics are high quality with an overall manga look too the drawing style. The story is one of knights and kings and politcal intrigue    The first Tales of Graces i have played and i think the first in the series available in europe.
    The Tales series is a well known franchaise in japanese rpgs. And is very popular with japanes players. The characters are likeable and the animation and graphics are high quality with an overall manga look too the drawing style. The story is one of knights and kings and politcal intrigue that is actually a more adult tale than it first appears following the main characters form childhood to adult the story spans thru the generations. the early hours of the game slowly introduce all the skills and things you can do within the game which helps as there is a lot of complex stuff in Tales. a pot to try out recipies that may or may not produce a new type of sword or armor, health potion ,or food, and ore gems that raise the defence and attack,elemental powers of youre arrmor and weapons. the battle system is simple to begin with then building up to excellent master strikes that look great. You also gain titles for how many monsters you kill or how often you use a certain weapon. Equiping these titles will also adjust and change various stats and moves that are available allowing you to grow youre favorite attack moves. Some reviewers said that you cant grind or level up your character but you can and mosters reapear almost instantly allowing you to fight them again or avoid them if you so wish. over-all Tales of Graces is a pleasant surprise and a nice way to introduce the series to europe. Recommended for Jrpg players and one of the few good ones available.    … Expand
  60. Montecarlo10254
    May 8, 2012
    10
    Not many games come out of no where and make a huge impact on me. I usually know of every game I want to buy and play before it is even out. However, this game slipped my radar, and I am so glad I went and looked at PlayStation 3 games a couple weeks back, or I would of missed this gem.

    Tales of Graces Æ
  61. Irohma
    Jul 16, 2012
    8
    Namco was sure to show that Tales of Graces was not originally made for PS3. The graphics are not on par with Tales of Vesperia and other current-gen consoles, but at least are artistically beautiful. The game overall is a great RPG, but lacking when compared to bigger and more powerful Tales games like Eternia, Vesperia, Abyss, and Destiny. The battle system suffered the biggest change inNamco was sure to show that Tales of Graces was not originally made for PS3. The graphics are not on par with Tales of Vesperia and other current-gen consoles, but at least are artistically beautiful. The game overall is a great RPG, but lacking when compared to bigger and more powerful Tales games like Eternia, Vesperia, Abyss, and Destiny. The battle system suffered the biggest change in the franchise that I know of, and it brought good (like the use of CC, even more non-stop action) things that will surely remain in the following games of the franchise. The true problem here is the size of the game. The story is short, without the typical depth in the sidequests that is common to Tales games, the characters are far too childish, their problems and concerns border the stupid, and overall you lack nice plot twists and a engrossing cast like in previous Tales games. It's still very worth to play for Tales fans, but I'd recommend Tales of Vesperia a lot more for the current gen of consoles.… Expand
  62. abarra
    Apr 30, 2012
    9
    Tales of Graces f is a great game, and I don't say that alot about Japanese RPG's. Gameplay is solid and simple for hardcore fans and newcomers alike. As far as the story goes I think people are turned off by the friendship thing because that is one of the biggest aspects of life shown in culture so it only makes sense for them to talk about friendship, loyalty, all that fun stuff.Tales of Graces f is a great game, and I don't say that alot about Japanese RPG's. Gameplay is solid and simple for hardcore fans and newcomers alike. As far as the story goes I think people are turned off by the friendship thing because that is one of the biggest aspects of life shown in culture so it only makes sense for them to talk about friendship, loyalty, all that fun stuff. Cultural differences are probably the only thing hindering it. The only RPGs I have ever really enjoyed were things like Skyrim and Mass Effect. For me to really like a JapRPG is big.… Expand
  63. aaron5951
    Nov 27, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game. Wonderful battle system that feels fluid, fast-paced and full of new techs and skills waiting to be learned and upgraded. Graphics are pretty typical of JRPG standards---lots of bright, cheery places but also some darker more foreboding locations. I liked the story, even though it got off to a very slow start. There are many, many items to discover, items to craft (called dualizing in this game,) gems to forge, ingredients to cook, weapons and armor to make--and the list goes on. I also want to make note that this game does well on spacing of save points---you don't usually have to travel too far before you find one, and that eliminates some of the frustration of repetitive dying and/or losing items. However, I played the game on "Moderate" difficulty, and only died around 5 or 6 times through the whole course of the game (around 61 hours for completion of main storyline.)

    The characters do mention friendship a lot, but at its core, the game's plot and deeper meaning (if you want to call it deep) is that without friends, you can't fully realize your life's potential---and, really, friendship is what makes life so special. I especially liked Cheria, because even though she could be perceived as moody and whiney sometimes, she has a heart of gold. Other characters in the game have their own backstories and reasons for "Fighting the Good Fight," and all of these are fleshed out fairly well.

    This was the first game I've played in the Tales series, but after playing this one, I may have to go back and see what I've been missing in other titles. A definitive recommended purchase for any JRPG fan---the game will not disappoint!    … Expand
  64. xCaMeRz
    Jan 31, 2013
    8
    I've been looking at the written user reviews that people have posted for this game and I'm disgusted how people can call them self's fans of the series then give a game like tails of graces f a score of 5 and below. The truth is most people who give the game these low ratings simply mustn't have played the game I had since some even say that there's no world to roam around in and alsoI've been looking at the written user reviews that people have posted for this game and I'm disgusted how people can call them self's fans of the series then give a game like tails of graces f a score of 5 and below. The truth is most people who give the game these low ratings simply mustn't have played the game I had since some even say that there's no world to roam around in and also that monsters don't spawn unless you go into a town and back out into an area. Well just let me say that these are all lies, there's a massive world that ranges from forestry and sandy areas to places in the snowy mountains granted that it's not the best freedom since there's pathways you must follow but the worlds there and also in regards to the issue where people say you need to move from place to place for monsters to spawn, this is also not true and there's even items you can take that makes monsters spawn in even faster.

    Anyways enough about other peoples reviews, I've decided to give this particular tails game an 8. Why you ask? Well firstly the game has an amazing and complex battle system that consists of spending cc points on either A arts 'Physical attacks' or B arts 'magical attacks' the more attacks you combine the more cc you'll need to chain them together. Your weapon your character currently has equipped determines the range off cc points your character can currently use during a battle and by consistently attacking your enemy and not getting hit you'll increase the amount of cc you can spend but also by getting attacked you can lose cc points. Guarding and dodging Is also vital in tails of graces f since guarding reduces the damage you take and causes you to regain your used up cc points quicker where as dodging can help you avoid attacks all together.

    During every battle there's one final bar on the left side of the screen that's split into two different sides and fills with blue for your team and red for the enemy. Once your bar has filled by chaining attacks and avoiding damage your hole team gains a short period of time where all attacks are free and can be consistently used for maximum damage. While your attacking during this phase you will also see a bar fill and a number continue to rise as you keep filling the bar by doing combinations of attacks. For each amount you currently have you can execute a special attack that does massive amounts of damage to your enemy.

    Now on the other hand if the enemy's bar is filled they will gain there own personal buffs for a while such as not being able to be interrupted and increased damage this system causes you to have to consistently swap your tactics as it can cause you to easily win from a currently loosing battle or vice versa.

    Finally once you finish each battle you'll be rewarded with XP which is used for levelling but also SP which ranks up your currently selected title. Yes I said title, throughout the game you'll unlock several titles from things like progressing through the game, buying and selling items, performing specific combos in battles the list goes on and on. The thing is these titles each have 5 ability's that once unlocked in stages by getting SP are yours forever so by consistently equipping and learning ability's from titles you can make your character your own and in my opinion is a great way to learn new ability's.

    Now that I've finally got the combat system out the way ill go onto talking about the characters and there progression throughout the game which in my opinion is really well done. Hopefully without spoiling anything all I can say is that your party starts out consisting of a children who all have there own personality's and traits ranging from bravery, constant paranoia and love for another that turn into fully grown knights and healers with a thrown in lively engineer that are willing to do anything to save there home.

    In regards to the story I would say that indeed it does start of fairly slow, but the reason for this is because it's mainly introducing your main characters and there personality's and once your into the 2nd and 3rd chapters it's changed completely.

    I wish I could talk more about the story but I really don't want to give away anything since there's to many spoilers all I can say is that it involves a king, a giant but friendly monster that's suffering from an infestation and a loyal knight that wants nothing but the best for his friends.

    Presentation wise the games quite solid. The menu's are vibrant, polished and easy to navigate and for a WII port the graphic's of the game are nicely done if only a little rough around the edges. The skits in the game are often and are constantly unlocked by achieving certain outcomes or by interacting with certain things so don't expect to see them all through out your first play through.    … Expand
  65. MisterNoodles
    Jul 26, 2013
    9
    This was my third Tales game and I would have to say it was my least favorite. It lacks the same character development the other ones have and it seems have taken a more serious route with this one. Which in terms has removed some of the funny cutscenes. Though to clear things up it's more the friendships of character that develops not the characters themselves. Plus the very first 2 orThis was my third Tales game and I would have to say it was my least favorite. It lacks the same character development the other ones have and it seems have taken a more serious route with this one. Which in terms has removed some of the funny cutscenes. Though to clear things up it's more the friendships of character that develops not the characters themselves. Plus the very first 2 or so hours kinda of suck and question if you really wanna keep playing, but trust me it picks up after that. The combat is heavily based around combos which is pretty cool. But they completely removed TP so you can basically spam artes, that is until your combo meter runs out and you have to defend. There is also a title system that I really didn't like all that much, but I got over it quickly. Overall it's a good game with a few problems. Worth buying or at least renting. 9/10… Expand
  66. Super_Cloud
    Jan 13, 2016
    8
    I really enjoyed the story of the game, the music were good, the character were great except for Cheria who kinda annoyed me sometime, i liked the battle at first but i quickly became annoyed by the stat system, like if your accuracy was too low you would do less damage, breaking the nova barrier all the time was extremely annoying and the boss near death were suddenly super powerful forI really enjoyed the story of the game, the music were good, the character were great except for Cheria who kinda annoyed me sometime, i liked the battle at first but i quickly became annoyed by the stat system, like if your accuracy was too low you would do less damage, breaking the nova barrier all the time was extremely annoying and the boss near death were suddenly super powerful for no reasons... other than that, the game was great.… Expand
  67. R6ex
    Apr 5, 2021
    5
    Beautiful story and characters with decent gameplay but travelling along platforming style is just too old-school and lame in this day and age. I gave up within 2 hours.
  68. hugoboy
    Oct 5, 2015
    10
    I don't know if developers these days have become lazy, or just plain greedy. There are few games this gen (and last) that i can confidently call a complete game. And Tales of grace is definitely one of those utterly complete game. Definitely a must buy for any rpg fanatic.
  69. BasilZero
    Feb 2, 2021
    9
    Game: Tales of Graces F
    Genre: Action RPG
    Developer: Namco Tales Studios Publisher: Bandai Namco System: Playstation 3 (PS3) Year of Release: 2012 Length of Playthrough: 70 hours Total Score: 94/100 Value Score: 9.4/10 • Story: 9/10 • Characters: 9/10 • GamePlay: 10/10 • Graphics: 8/10 • Sound: 10/10 • Music: 9/10 • Length: 10/10 • Replay Value: 10/10 • Player Value:    Game: Tales of Graces F
    Genre: Action RPG
    Developer: Namco Tales Studios
    Publisher: Bandai Namco
    System: Playstation 3 (PS3)
    Year of Release: 2012
    Length of Playthrough: 70 hours

    Total Score: 94/100
    Value Score: 9.4/10

    • Story: 9/10
    • Characters: 9/10
    • GamePlay: 10/10
    • Graphics: 8/10
    • Sound: 10/10
    • Music: 9/10
    • Length: 10/10
    • Replay Value: 10/10
    • Player Value: 9/10

    Pros
    +Lineage and Legacies sequel story added to this version compared to original Wii version
    +Very lengthy base game (about 55 hours) and the extra story gives a decent amount of extra playthrough (15 hours)
    +Great cast and story with a ton of voice acting
    +Great combat system
    +New Game+ with a ton of replayability

    Cons
    -Not as visually appealing to other PS3 Tales series titles due to the original being a Wii game, assets and visuals not as good looking    … Expand
  70. Klaww25
    Nov 25, 2015
    8
    This game is better than I expected and it is far better than vesperia in terms of story. The graphics may be subpar but the gameplay is great. The music is decent and there is some humor in it. The story may not be as mature as xillia but it is still very good.
  71. ExCyReX
    Aug 24, 2013
    10
    Absolutely my favourite game so far, awesome storyline, great combat system, now i just finished playing tales of xillia, also beautifull can't wait for the next game.
  72. ShunOugarden
    Sep 23, 2019
    8
    Good graphisms, scenario and play. Why only 8 ? too much invisibles boundaries on the road and not enough skins.
  73. SenshiV
    Feb 3, 2014
    9
    The game is great, yes there are some things some people would not like, but it's no big deal at all. First, the game is not strictly 'linear', there are just some necessary blocks to avoid gamer to wander in places and then get lost, nothing wrong with that, i still felt pretty free to go around. I liked the voices too, my big complain is that the story is nice, but really focusing soThe game is great, yes there are some things some people would not like, but it's no big deal at all. First, the game is not strictly 'linear', there are just some necessary blocks to avoid gamer to wander in places and then get lost, nothing wrong with that, i still felt pretty free to go around. I liked the voices too, my big complain is that the story is nice, but really focusing so much on friendship...felt forced. At least everything develops well, is you get a little tired of battles you can simply put all your chars in automatic for a while even grind some exp this way, of course don't do this every time or you will miss titles. I felt the game was longer than it is, so much i wanted to finish it to play something else . Oh , even more story after beating the game in the extra section is very nice :).… Expand
  74. Trepadora
    Feb 13, 2015
    5
    I'm sat here wondering how this game came to be known as one of the better games of the Tales franchise. I would consider myself to be a Tales fan - I've played every game I could get my hands on. But this game just doesn't spark. It feels like they were trying to gut most of what made these games so good.

    One thing I've always enjoyed was the story. But, I'm here thinking, 40 hours    I'm sat here wondering how this game came to be known as one of the better games of the Tales franchise. I would consider myself to be a Tales fan - I've played every game I could get my hands on. But this game just doesn't spark. It feels like they were trying to gut most of what made these games so good.

    One thing I've always enjoyed was the story. But, I'm here thinking, 40 hours into the game, and can barely recall much bar a few vague descriptions of major moments and nothing else. Nothing about the plot is particularly memorable. It feels as though it stumbles from location to location, going through the motions and never really providing anything exciting. Despite being near the end of the game, I don't feel as if I am - I'm not on the edge of my seat as the story reaches it's finale: I'm strolling along with detached disinterest, vainly hoping that perhaps it will surprise me with some well-thought twist that makes it all worth it.

    If you're a Tales fan, you're well aware of the host of memorable characters. Characters such as Kratos or Yuri likely stick out in your mind as interesting, fleshed out characters. However in Graces F, we have 'I want to protect my friends protagonist' and 'cool mentor guy'. If you play this game, this will likely be the extent of the characters you will see. None of them ever become particularly fleshed out beyond the first impression you had of them. Very little attempt is ever made at development, and what little is, falls flat on its face. The voices don't fare much better. While the voices themselves are okay, it is very rare hear the character to genuinely sound like the emotion they are meant to be conveying. Combined with the clumsy writing, it is more than a little awkward to listen to.

    Finally the battle system. It feels completely gutted and replaced by something else entirely. I recognize that a lot of effort went into this system to make it have more depth and complexity. However, it feels unnecessarily overcomplicated. I played most of the game on hard, and it rarely evolved beyond pushing one button a lot and then waiting for my CC to replenish. Certainly, there was also back or sidestepping, but it never felt particularly involving. Reducing it to what is essentially a two button system feels like it took away much more than it gave.

    I feel as if that sums up the majority of my time playing with the game, changes that took more away from my experience that added to it. I had numerous other gripes with the game as well: the titles felt like more grinding, the mixer felt superfluous, the AI was catastrophically stupid, the difficulty was horrendously balanced (tying battle rewards to difficulty level was pretty dumb) and the characters felt unsatisfying as whole to play with. Overall, this does not feel like the game series I fell in love with, and I fear I will never understand the praise it receives.    … Expand
  75. GranteedEV
    Dec 5, 2013
    5
    This game has awesome core gameplay. The combat system is brilliant with tight controls and good difficulty, the item synthesis "dualizing" is brilliant, and everything runs at an amazing 60fps. There are some fun characters too.

    ...Yet I really just dislike this game. It: 1) Does not live up to the standards set by Eternia, Symphonia, Vesperia, and the amazing Abyss 2) it    This game has awesome core gameplay. The combat system is brilliant with tight controls and good difficulty, the item synthesis "dualizing" is brilliant, and everything runs at an amazing 60fps. There are some fun characters too.

    ...Yet I really just dislike this game. It:

    1) Does not live up to the standards set by Eternia, Symphonia, Vesperia, and the amazing Abyss
    2) it has an unbearable dub. You will want to look for cotton any time Asbel, Cheria, or Sophie open their mouths. Richard too, during the main story arc.
    3) Has a weak story. Everything during the main story arc lacks any semblence of compelling you to play. I kept playing because other games in the series just got better as they went along. This one did not.
    4) has no world map. Level design is okay. While there is a "discovery" system ripping off Skies of Arcadia, there isn't anything truly worthwhile about it.

    As for the aesthetics, this is a port of a Wii game and it does show. Coming off of the gorgeous Vesperia, you'll recognize a general lack of modern effects and textures. On the bright side though, everything is rendered at a high resolution similar to HD remakes, and the art style is not bad at all. The music was prettty much forgettable, and as I mentioned earlier, the dub is cringeworthy. There is no dual audio option.    … Expand
  76. Hellhammer
    Sep 4, 2020
    9
    Tales of Graces f was a shot in the dark for me as it happened to be rather cheap at the time. I expected little as my first Tales experience (Tales of Xillia) was rather underwhelming. To my surprise this quickly became one of my favourite games. The story is good, but what makes this work are the very endearing characters. They may be a little cliche, but they are just so hard not toTales of Graces f was a shot in the dark for me as it happened to be rather cheap at the time. I expected little as my first Tales experience (Tales of Xillia) was rather underwhelming. To my surprise this quickly became one of my favourite games. The story is good, but what makes this work are the very endearing characters. They may be a little cliche, but they are just so hard not to like. What truly made this game for me though was the combat system. It is hands down one of the best fighting systems I have experienced. It feels so fluid and fast paced, yet approachable. You dodge and weave around the enemy using many different moves while also having the option to switch characters. By the time I finished the game I was just not ready to stop fighting yet. I honestly hope this game sees some form of remastering at some point so that I can experience it in a more polished setting, because the game really deserves it. Did I mention that the music is also top notch? Because it is.… Expand
  77. miastalman
    Mar 24, 2016
    8
    Well that one is a bit archaic and ugly - it is a port from Wii. I liked that game, because it had really nice figthing system. If you played xillia or zestiria - their ones are too easy, here you have a bit of a challenge. Plot is ok, nothing special, environment is nothing extraordinary, just what you would expect from game like that. Overall I think it is good game, there are no actualWell that one is a bit archaic and ugly - it is a port from Wii. I liked that game, because it had really nice figthing system. If you played xillia or zestiria - their ones are too easy, here you have a bit of a challenge. Plot is ok, nothing special, environment is nothing extraordinary, just what you would expect from game like that. Overall I think it is good game, there are no actual drawbacks, just it is far to be perfect.… Expand
  78. FantasyCritic71
    May 23, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Does Tales of Graces F suck? Is it the worst Tales game ever? Or is it just underrated? Lets find out.

    ~ The Story ~

    The story of Tales of Graces F revolves around friendship which is something that a few people might not like to delve into. The story for Graces F is not bad its just executed in a way that's not very appealing.

    There's some things I liked about the story such as the big change from all the characters during the Child Arc. Hubert went from coward to badass in just 7 years Asbel went from rebel little kid to powerful & respectful swordsman. Alot of interesting things also occurred after the child arc such as Cheria being mean to Asbel, Asbel's father getting killed, Hubert kicking his brother out of his own kingdom, Richard slowly becoming insane these things were really good it made the story really interesting. My 3 favorite moments were 1. - Sophie extending her hand toward Richard only for him to say **** You" and hit her with a blast to her face. 2. - Richard laughing in the Anime Cutscene when he was building the cocoon Idk why? but that laugh sounded so epic and cool to me. 3. - Emeraude unveiling her true evil intentions and 4. - Richard & Lamda's Backstory of how both of them become sad & depressed people hating on the world.

    Overall the story got boring after Richard attacked Lhant and it became all about the bonds of friendship, friendship, friendship, friendship I am so tired of friendship.

    ~ The Gameplay ~

    The gameplay is the highpoint of this game and it does not disappoint I had a blast playing this game but that refers only to the combat. The Child Arc Gameplay was terrible it didn't get good until After.

    Dungeons - Alot of the dungeons in the game felt really samey its easy to get lost in them plus once your inside there's no map so good luck trying to find your way once your inside. I also did not like some of the puzzles in this game especially the ones inside the Amarcian Ruins & in the last dungeon The Ghardia Shaft they really suck.

    Fast Travel - Traveling is also a pain in the ass sometimes you'll have to travel all the way back to the start of a dungeon to get out this doesn't happen often because they give you shortcuts sometimes but still it really sucks. You won't be able to fast travel until near the end of the game, however you do have the option of traveling back & forth via Turtlez Transport & Ships but these only leave you in certain places going faraway can be hard sometimes. The game is very linear but you do have the freedom to break free from the story if you so chose.

    Combat - In this game you have the Titles System which grants you bonuses, ability upgrades, new abilities, stat increases and a large variety of skills. You can get titles by defeating certain enemies killing enemies in a certain way and etc. In this game you have A-Artes[Assault Artes] & B-Artes[Burst Artes] A-Artes are basically normal attacks which allow for the use of combos and B-Artes are like special attacks such as Demon Fang there's no MP so you can freely use these attacks as you please. However when the CC Meter[Chain Capacity] drops to 0 you'll have to wait for it to fill back up to perform actions again but it fills up pretty quickly so its not that big of a deal it can fill up even quicker if you block and dodge attacks with the quick step. There's also an Eleth Gauge Blue for you the Player & Red for the enemies when it fills up you can endlessly chain together combos without worry for CC and you can use your Mystic Artes with the L1 Button. When the Red one fills up the enemy gains the same abilities that you do when the blue one fills up so its a double edged sword.

    Alchemy & Dualizing - In this game you can fuse items, food & weapons together to create new ones and also upgrade weapons, its called Dualizing(I think) but I didn't go to in depth with it so I'm not very knowledgeable on that subject.

    ~ The Music ~

    Does the music suck like people say? Is it amazing? Or is it just moderate? Well in my opinion I say its moderate not that bad but not that great it could've been better but its not that bad.

    Town Themes - I love a few town themes such as Windor's Theme[Town of Dancing Wind] Barona's Theme[Majestic Grandeur], The Depths of Ruling Science & The Port Theme - To A Sea of Dancing Snow[Sounds like Symphonia]. I also like that one Forest theme - Beyond The Sunlit Tree's.

    Battle Themes - Some Battle Themes like Perplexed Sword, Mad Dance, Fodra's Battle Theme, Epic Release & The Final Boss Battle Themes were good as well.

    Voice Acting - People say its bad people say its good but I say its okay. The Voice Acting is not that great & not that bad.

    ~ Graphics ~

    Graphics are good for a ported Wii game to the PS3.

    ~ Overall ~

    Does this game deserve the hate? Nope. Should it be praised as the best? Nope. Is it worth playing? Yes it is. Great Combat, A Moderate Story & Hilarious Skits is definitely worth playing this game    … Expand
  79. Ventrust
    Jun 3, 2015
    7
    Tales of Graces is one of the more differentiating games in the lineup of The Tales of series. It removes a lot of combat elements that have always been present in the series, like the old artes-chains and the complete removal of a mana gauge. That's right, every art in the game is free.
    How does this new battle system compare to the rest of the series? Actually, I think this game has    Tales of Graces is one of the more differentiating games in the lineup of The Tales of series. It removes a lot of combat elements that have always been present in the series, like the old artes-chains and the complete removal of a mana gauge. That's right, every art in the game is free.
    How does this new battle system compare to the rest of the series? Actually, I think this game has some, if not the most fun combat experiences in the series. The removal of mana makes it so the game is much more resistant in throwing new artes in your face, but the artes you do get are flashy and fun, not to mention that you can chain certain artes into each other if you acquire the right skills. You don't have normal attacks in this game: every single move is basically an Arte, and the combat seems the most varied in the series because of this. Due to the nature of how strong these elements make you, some enemies have an obscene amount of health in he late game, and I felt personally no enemy has a fair chance because of all the options the game gives you, so a lot of them also appear to have rather cheap attacks to actually give you a challenge. Having an enemy use their mystic arte more than five times in a battle, if not more is rather hard to deal with. Should not be a problem though, as this is the easiest game I have played in the series, and I have played 6 so far. Still, it's a rather fun game that does a lot of interesting things with the series, and stands on its own in that regard: it's combat is very distinguishing in the series.

    Now, for some negatives: While the fighting and any element/mechanic that is directly connected to the combat is great, I can't say that for the rest of the elements of the game. It's characters, while not boring or even bad, don't stand out compared to other RPG's. I think there was a total of two characters who I had not already seen in other stories, and they are really not that important to the story. Again, they are not bad characters at all, I have just already seen them, and other than in their combat styles,I find no real interest in them. The main character looks and feels great to play as, but nothing about him differentiates him from any other typical RPG hero. And that is generally the cast summed up, they don't stand out. They have rather funny conversations, none of them leave an impact on the story as a whole, and are just a group of friends traveling to save the world, none of them affect the plot :/
    The story and moral are also basically standard JRPG tropes, and they are not unique. Not bad, but other stories have done these stories, and have done them with unique characters or untypical elements. The only part where this game trumps other JRPG's is with it's combat. This might especially get monotonous boring since this is pretty much the longest Tales game f we just look at story events, excluding Tales of the Abyss. And when you take the extra story arc you get after the game with Graces 'F', you have a really, really long RPG with the only stand out element being the combat, which might get to easy when you get used to it. But the game is still worth playing, if only partially, because of those cool and flashy battles. If you enjoy stylish, fluent combat with lots of options, then Tales of Graces is one of the best games you can chose to fill this need.    … Expand
  80. mupo0853
    Jun 28, 2015
    8
    In my opinion the story for starters is remarkable the story and character development shines brightly for the main character and support characters that you can tell the emotion swayed when something drastic happens or even simply going to the next town. the battles are engaging and fun to experiment with new arts and the soundtrack gets you pumped when in battle. the crafting system isIn my opinion the story for starters is remarkable the story and character development shines brightly for the main character and support characters that you can tell the emotion swayed when something drastic happens or even simply going to the next town. the battles are engaging and fun to experiment with new arts and the soundtrack gets you pumped when in battle. the crafting system is rewarding and adds a fun alchemy touch to the game play .Sadly it can get repetitive though as there aren't many artes and you may end up using the same strategy over and over. And the negative views dissapoint me. I can't give it a perfect rating because of the battle repetition and the lack of fast travel but I can't give it a horrible rating, it's too good of a game for that. I might add because they give this game a horrible rating because of the fact it's not like other tales, but maybe it should be able to explore and a 1 is overkill. If you want to make a review be realistic not butt hurt because it doesn't fill nostalgia.… Expand
  81. Qlonoa
    Aug 15, 2015
    9
    This game is one of my favourite JRPGS of all time . The characters have an incredible design and have their own personality. It's a very completed gameplay and battle system and there are hours and hours of post-game content. The story is Amazing.
  82. Delinquent_B
    Nov 30, 2015
    7
    I would give this game 7.5 but that is not an option.

    1. The plot/characters I only liked the plot in the beginning and the end. Its very lacking and repeats the same events over and over. For example. Asbel obsesses over protecting his friends all the time. I only liked one character named Hubert. the rest was copy paste form other tales of games. We all know the formula. There is    I would give this game 7.5 but that is not an option.

    1. The plot/characters
    I only liked the plot in the beginning and the end. Its very lacking and repeats the same events over and over. For example.
    Asbel obsesses over protecting his friends all the time. I only liked one character named Hubert. the rest was copy paste form other tales of games. We all know the formula. There is the old "veteran" guy, the emotionless loli, the white knight main character and his childhood friend.

    2. Battle system
    This is were this game shines. I only played 3 tales of games. Abyss, Graces F and Xillia.
    This game got the best battle system by far. Its deep and fast paced. In the Epilogue of the game. It surprisingly gets even better with the introduction of new mechanics.

    3. Dualize
    I always liked gathering different equipment but the game forced me to use the "Dualize system" its an system that lets you fuse "shards" to power up your gear. It can also fuse ingredients to create food. So yeah. There is not much gear overall. You have to fuse those shards in your equipment, then fuse both equipments to create a "gem" a gem is an equipment that boost stats. So if your Shard got an attack property your gem gets attack.
    Its possible to fuse those gems as well to create a better one.

    I got 70 hours in this game because the combat was very addicting. played it on the moderate difficulty. Mobs were easy to beat and the bosses were challenging.

    If you crave a new Tales of game or just a JRPG you should get this one.    … Expand
  83. NexusTsunami
    Jan 22, 2017
    8
    Ich bin mit Tales of in die Riege der JRPG´ler eingestiegen. Dementsprechend musste sich Graces f beweisen. Und dies hat es. Wenn auch meines erachtens nicht so gut wie Tales of Vesperia ist es dennoch toll.

    Charaktertechnisch haben mir vorallem Cheria, Sophie und Pascal gefallen (mein Augenmerk liegt halt nunmal bei den Mädel´s :-)). Leider leitet dieses Spiel den Untergang der Open    Ich bin mit Tales of in die Riege der JRPG´ler eingestiegen. Dementsprechend musste sich Graces f beweisen. Und dies hat es. Wenn auch meines erachtens nicht so gut wie Tales of Vesperia ist es dennoch toll.

    Charaktertechnisch haben mir vorallem Cheria, Sophie und Pascal gefallen (mein Augenmerk liegt halt nunmal bei den Mädel´s :-)).

    Leider leitet dieses Spiel den Untergang der Open World in der Tales of Reihe ein... allerdings ist die "neue" Art der Oberwelt schöner gestaltet als es ein Tales of Xillia getan hat.

    Das Kampfsystem ist im Vergleich als andere Ableger ganz anders gestaltet. Dies macht es aber nur ungleich schlechter sondern ist, wenn auch wie gesagt anders, dennoch auf dem gleichen hohen Niveau wie seine Verwandten.

    Wie immer ist die der OST schön anzuhören und bietet einige Ohrwürmer.

    Kurzum: Ein gutes Tales of...    … Expand
  84. tomvs123
    Feb 28, 2018
    5
    This game is average and its primary audience, based on the story, is 7-18 year-olds. My 5-year old had a blast watching me play it and even helped me get through many of the 10-minute boss fights.

    I can't do a review of the combat justice since I hated it. I played through it on the easiest difficulty just to endure it and complete the game. To me, it's chaotic, button-mashy, requires    This game is average and its primary audience, based on the story, is 7-18 year-olds. My 5-year old had a blast watching me play it and even helped me get through many of the 10-minute boss fights.

    I can't do a review of the combat justice since I hated it. I played through it on the easiest difficulty just to endure it and complete the game. To me, it's chaotic, button-mashy, requires almost no strategy, and is limiting from an action perspective. Look at other reviews to get a better idea of how it works.

    The English voice acting is below-average, but tolerable, and the game's target audience likely won't have any issue with it. There's no Japanese language option.

    The non-combat game mechanics, maps, and dungeons are relatively standard. I was quite pleased with the over world map and dungeons, which are higher quality than those in Tales of Xillia. The areas in Graces felt real (but small) while those in Xillia felt like giant empty squares that were randomly filled with monsters and items.

    And the dungeon puzzles: At first, they're okay, but they get more annoying the farther you get. For example, there are multi-room puzzles where you'll need to go over five rooms to push a thing that might affect something in a different room. You then need to hunt for the thing it affected and hope that's what you need to progress. You might be okay with this if have a photographic memory, follow a guide, or create your own map.

    The story is average. If you'd played more than five teen-focused JRPGs, then you've already seen everything that this story has to offer. The good points for it is that it's consistent and doesn't really resort to any "power of friendship" mechanics.

    Your primary goal is to stop an evil being that's trying to destroy the world, for no valid/believable reason.

    The story isn't at all mature. You play as a 11-year old boy who turns into an 18-year old, and he's having a hard time coming to terms with adulthood, responsibility, and the decisions of others. He's definitely the innocent and stupid type. One example is that there's another character who want to sacrifice herself for the greater good of humanity, but the main character keeps stopping her through his child-like outbursts. It's funny in stories like this where someone is trying to do a noble and meaningful sacrifice, and the protagonist just stops it because his need to keep that person as a friend outweighs his desire to give that person what she wants. Or maybe they just all assume that the other person doesn't really want to sacrifice herself... Either way, it's a bit silly.

    The story is very predictable at first. For example, the guy with the evil eyes is the evil one. Later in the game, the story changes character allegiances and motivations at a whim with very sketchy background and reasoning. So it goes from being very predictable to completely unpredictable (in a bad way).

    The characters aren't bad, but are a little flat and uninteresting. There's a lot of trope-following here and you'd have a hard time telling the main character apart from a multitude of 14-year old boy JRPG protagonists (Isn't he supposed to be 18?). But if you haven't played a lot of JRPGs, you'll probably find someone to like here.

    I completed the main game and found a new option on the title screen that started up a new story about 6 months after the end of the main game. In this story, you're dealing with the consequences of the main character's decision at the end of the first story, and it isn't very interesting. I gave up part way though when I had to go to the 4th dungeon to get another random thing to progress the story. That was also the point where some more annoying dungeon puzzles popped up and battles started becoming so difficult that level grinding was required (even on easy mode). Play though this part only if you absolutely love the characters or need to know what happens next. That's not me, so I'm here writing my post-game review.

    In closing, I think this is a good game if you're young (under 18) and are prone to like anime or Japanese games. But for everyone else, it might be a bit of a chore to get through, especially if you've been playing JRPGs for 30+ years.    … Expand
  85. TalesRaven
    May 1, 2016
    8
    Absolutely wonderful game, despite its obvious drawbacks. A fast paced and complex battle system, a colourful cast of characters whose interactions are natural and funny, fun and innovative dualizing and title systems, and an endearing (but by no means perfect) storyline serve to make this game a very enjoyable experience to any JRPG fan. Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks - theAbsolutely wonderful game, despite its obvious drawbacks. A fast paced and complex battle system, a colourful cast of characters whose interactions are natural and funny, fun and innovative dualizing and title systems, and an endearing (but by no means perfect) storyline serve to make this game a very enjoyable experience to any JRPG fan. Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks - the combat takes a while to open up and cannot be fully explored without delving deep into the optional dualizing system, the story can move at a very slow pace at times and the OST is rather bland. The game is chock full of content, from the hundreds of different sidequests to the funny skits the characters have, filling up the dualizing book, side bosses, arena fights, finding new locations on the world map, extra dungeons and obtaining titles and costumes. Overall, the pros heavily outweigh the cons, and the game will give you joy every time you pop the disc in.… Expand
  86. Empyrea
    Mar 10, 2018
    8
    This game has a good plot. Each character has its own personality. Graphics are a little better than in Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World. Soundtrack is quite good. Voices as always are really good. It took me 38 hours to beat the first game because after that you can access to the second part which took me 10 more hours. The final boss is damn diffucult but with the info that I gotThis game has a good plot. Each character has its own personality. Graphics are a little better than in Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World. Soundtrack is quite good. Voices as always are really good. It took me 38 hours to beat the first game because after that you can access to the second part which took me 10 more hours. The final boss is damn diffucult but with the info that I got in Internet I could beat him without leveling up my team. To sum up a good rpg. If you like rpg you must have it. If not the case you may prefer watch some gameplay before making a decision.… Expand
  87. raccoondaddy
    Apr 2, 2017
    8
    Tales of Graces F is yet another entry in the Tales RPG franchise. For those unaware of the gameplay, it is a blend of the standard RPG battle visuals with a combat system that plays like a beat em' up game.
    This blend keeps all of the traditional elements you would find in any RPG, like magic, special attacks and even summons and keeps the combat moving. In Graces', that gameplay    Tales of Graces F is yet another entry in the Tales RPG franchise. For those unaware of the gameplay, it is a blend of the standard RPG battle visuals with a combat system that plays like a beat em' up game.
    This blend keeps all of the traditional elements you would find in any RPG, like magic, special attacks and even summons and keeps the combat moving. In Graces', that gameplay remains the same. (Which is a good thing, at least for these games.)

    As for the story, it's pretty good and for the most part that characters are likeable for a few exceptions, whom I won't name. But that is just my opinion and some may like them.

    Also, there is plenty of things to do and see in the game and the additional content added to this version wraps the story up fairly well, in the end.

    My major issue with the game was the pacing. For most of the first half, there seemed to be a whole lot of going back and forth to the same place, which felt more like doing errands than playing an RPG. Sure, I know this happens in almost all RPGs, but this game just did it TOO MUCH. Outside of the that it was good.

    Overall: Tales of Graces F is a great RPG, that has issues getting the story moving but ends up paying off in the end. The epilogue section wraps everything up pretty well and balances the tedious pace of the early narrative.    … Expand
  88. CSickmann24
    Jan 10, 2019
    9
    I finished this game 3 times so far and i give it a 9. Only thing that stops me for giving a perfect score are the dungeons. Otherwise it is a great J-RPG!

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. Eurogamer Portugal
    Nov 6, 2012
    90
    Tales of Graces f is a tale of magic and fantasy with a touch of political and social intrigue easily recommended to anyone who loves this specific genre.
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  2. 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.
    Read full review
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Oct 8, 2012
    80
    Putting the mysterious "f" back in "freakin' su-weet." [Nov 2012, p.77]
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