Tales of Hearts R

 PlayStation Vita
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 126 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 96 out of 126
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 126
  3. Negative: 15 out of 126
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  1. subsided
    Nov 12, 2014
    9
    I haven't played very much of it so far but so far it's awesome and a great addition to the Vita and the Tales series. I can tell already it will be one of my favorite tales games. SOme minor gripes would be the fact there's no english voice overs and the most disliked part of this game is RANDOM BATTLES!!!...I mean seriously ever Tales game ever had enemy models to run into EXCEPT thisI haven't played very much of it so far but so far it's awesome and a great addition to the Vita and the Tales series. I can tell already it will be one of my favorite tales games. SOme minor gripes would be the fact there's no english voice overs and the most disliked part of this game is RANDOM BATTLES!!!...I mean seriously ever Tales game ever had enemy models to run into EXCEPT this one. All in all though still a terrific tales game. 9/10 for sure… Expand
  2. Quandary
    Nov 12, 2014
    10
    I'm loving every minute of Tales of Hearts, it's a wonderful jrpg that captures all that I wanted from this genre since the PSX days: a colorful world, a likeable cast of characters that can be silly or serious as the situation demands, a funny and well told story and a killer combat system. Fighting is so much fun in this game I found myself grinding without needing it at all, unlockingI'm loving every minute of Tales of Hearts, it's a wonderful jrpg that captures all that I wanted from this genre since the PSX days: a colorful world, a likeable cast of characters that can be silly or serious as the situation demands, a funny and well told story and a killer combat system. Fighting is so much fun in this game I found myself grinding without needing it at all, unlocking Soma skills is also a great way to customize characters. There are real dungeons with puzzles, a lot of nice cities and lesser quests and an overworld map that lately is sorely missing from many jrpgs. I think this could end up being my fav jrpg on Vita and overall one of my fav Vita games.… Expand
  3. brandog0
    Nov 12, 2014
    7
    It's so awesome to finally have a tales of game on the vita, I have a feeling that this one is going to sell more vitas. The story is really good so far and the combat is just like any other tales of game. Also has a great cast of characters as well! this game is well worth your money, buy it so vita will be more popular! PLEASE!
  4. jmaneater
    Dec 10, 2014
    10
    This is a great game for vita owners and anybody who loves the tales series. Ive played this game for hours on end and the story is amazing. Love this game and you will too.
  5. deadlysilentbob
    Feb 1, 2015
    8
    Awesome game. Its story is deep, Its characters fleshed out, its concepts are solid and the locations are many. Lots of humour i found which really brought the game to life. The battle system was VERY engaging and kept you imersed in the slog that often becomes of random battles.

    a few of the negatives include the dated graphics (a quick search reveals they were originally from the    Awesome game. Its story is deep, Its characters fleshed out, its concepts are solid and the locations are many. Lots of humour i found which really brought the game to life. The battle system was VERY engaging and kept you imersed in the slog that often becomes of random battles.

    a few of the negatives include the dated graphics (a quick search reveals they were originally from the Nintendo ds version of the game) and the soundtrack left me wanting. Sometimes the story can be a little "draggy" as you go from place to place then back to place 1 again.

    Over all a VERY recomended game.    … Expand
  6. midipon
    Nov 19, 2014
    9
    Amazing Tales game. The characters are lovable, the plot is entertaining and paced well, the fight system is even faster then usual and extra exhilarating, and the presentation is great. However, the music is just okay, the translation/localization has it's highs and lows, and the dialogue can get pretty sappy sometimes. Overall a great experience. I consider this to be one of the veryAmazing Tales game. The characters are lovable, the plot is entertaining and paced well, the fight system is even faster then usual and extra exhilarating, and the presentation is great. However, the music is just okay, the translation/localization has it's highs and lows, and the dialogue can get pretty sappy sometimes. Overall a great experience. I consider this to be one of the very best Vita games, and my second favorite in the Tales series.… Expand
  7. doughnutsfan
    Nov 19, 2014
    8
    While not an innovative in any way, Tales of Hearts R is a wonderful remake made for fans with sincere love. Respecting the lore of JRPG genre, while adding colorful, if typical, cast of characters along with an addictive battle-system, the game is a delight in a world where Final Fantasy franchise have grown stale and uninspired and Persona 5 is nowhere near. It is also exclusive to PSWhile not an innovative in any way, Tales of Hearts R is a wonderful remake made for fans with sincere love. Respecting the lore of JRPG genre, while adding colorful, if typical, cast of characters along with an addictive battle-system, the game is a delight in a world where Final Fantasy franchise have grown stale and uninspired and Persona 5 is nowhere near. It is also exclusive to PS Vita so kudos to developers for bringing the game to a platform that is thin on similar big titles.… Expand
  8. LDSAFOL
    May 3, 2015
    6
    I was kind of disappointed in this game. My enjoyment of the Tales series began with its most recent iteration, Tales of Xillia, so I was expecting something comparable. What I found was a much less compelling and much more mediocre story. Of course, then I found out that this is a remake of a DS game, which explains a lot. Unfortunately, it doesn't remove the disappointment I've felt fromI was kind of disappointed in this game. My enjoyment of the Tales series began with its most recent iteration, Tales of Xillia, so I was expecting something comparable. What I found was a much less compelling and much more mediocre story. Of course, then I found out that this is a remake of a DS game, which explains a lot. Unfortunately, it doesn't remove the disappointment I've felt from playing it.… Expand
  9. Beaverton
    Nov 11, 2014
    7
    Good, solid RPG mechanics. The game looks absolutely stunning on the VITA. My issues with ToHR are that the game is extremely slow to start. Once it gets going it isn't too difficult to get into the story. My concern is that because of how simple and slow the story is, there is little replay value. I also personally do not like microtransactions. While microtransactions are integral to theGood, solid RPG mechanics. The game looks absolutely stunning on the VITA. My issues with ToHR are that the game is extremely slow to start. Once it gets going it isn't too difficult to get into the story. My concern is that because of how simple and slow the story is, there is little replay value. I also personally do not like microtransactions. While microtransactions are integral to the game, I don't like the "pay2win" model that seems to be plaguing the gaming industry as of late.

    In short, there are some great RPG elements like exploration and customization, but ultimately the limited story, microtransactions and dungeons that feel like busywork rather than progress, left me with an average experience.    … Expand
  10. StaticSpine
    Feb 11, 2015
    10
    One of the best JRPG (and one of the best games overall) for PS Vita. Great story, nice cast of characters, fantastic battle system and a huge amount of content. A must have!
  11. Natharaga
    May 30, 2015
    10
    They took a great game and made it better. The Tales series always has had deep character development and this game is no different. For spoiler purposes I will not explain why the love relationship between the main character and Kohaku seems forced. The battles were fun and there was better monster design than in the latest Tales games on the PS3. The game is voiced in Japanese, but IThey took a great game and made it better. The Tales series always has had deep character development and this game is no different. For spoiler purposes I will not explain why the love relationship between the main character and Kohaku seems forced. The battles were fun and there was better monster design than in the latest Tales games on the PS3. The game is voiced in Japanese, but I don't really care that they couldn't voice it in English. The fact that they imported the game to the US is enough to make me happy. It is not as long as some of the other Tales games, I took under 30 hours to beat it. It is a great game and if you are a fan of JRPGs I wholeheartedly recommend it.… Expand
  12. Flypaper
    Apr 20, 2015
    9
    I wasn't sure I would like this since it is not an english dub (has english subtitles but the voice actors speak in Japanese), but I thought to myself, "it wasn't too long ago that jrpgs didn't even have voice acting and you had to read all the story." So anyway, I made a good choice because the Japanese voice actors are great at giving you the emotion of the text you are reading andI wasn't sure I would like this since it is not an english dub (has english subtitles but the voice actors speak in Japanese), but I thought to myself, "it wasn't too long ago that jrpgs didn't even have voice acting and you had to read all the story." So anyway, I made a good choice because the Japanese voice actors are great at giving you the emotion of the text you are reading and brings them to life like a good anime. The combat is better than I thought it would be with real time blocking, normal attacks and special attacks (pretty easy on normal so far, but if its too hard you can put battle difficulty on easy). The characters are likeable and good and not annoying (which can often be the case with these games). The story so far has mystery and magic and is very interesting (and I needed a positive upbeat game after the dark, depressing Bloodborne that I just finished). I don't think a story has grabbed me like this in a game in the last 10 years or so. I love a good story where you need to continue to find the answers to the mysteries and how the story ends. The cutscenes are good quality higher budget anime. Much of the conversation is in game engine (i.e. not cutscene), but the in game engine animations are pretty good if a little repetitive. If you love a good story with a little prophecy (which I'm assuming my characters will be a part of fulfilling - but I could be wrong) and good Japanese characters and interesting combat with well done upgrade system then I highly recommend this game to you.… Expand
  13. jirren
    Mar 5, 2015
    10
    So far TOHR has a great story perhaps a little similar to Tsubasa chronicles or at least so far. The characters are great lots of funny moments, gameplay is nice and it looks great . If you are a fan of the tales series then you will want to play this one
  14. OwtDaft
    May 10, 2018
    6
    + Tales games are usually solid games and play it pretty safe. This one is just ok though.
    + Great characters with good dialogue and some funny moments.
    + This game brings back the world map and it gives the game a strong sense of adventure. + Side quests in this game are optional and ignoring them won't leave you under levelled. - I like a lot of story in JRPGs but the story in this    + Tales games are usually solid games and play it pretty safe. This one is just ok though.
    + Great characters with good dialogue and some funny moments.
    + This game brings back the world map and it gives the game a strong sense of adventure.
    + Side quests in this game are optional and ignoring them won't leave you under levelled.
    - I like a lot of story in JRPGs but the story in this game drags on at times, like other Tales games.
    - The combat is very hack and slash and pretty mindless for the most part.
    - The counter attack isn't responsive enough, which made me not bother trying to use it.
    - Random encounters while trying to do an overly maze like dungeon and solve a puzzle is a pain.    … Expand
  15. Xelion
    Jun 1, 2018
    8
    Overall it's a good Tales game, I liked the Soma/Bonding/Shared skills and counterattacks. It plays fine on the Vita. I didn't like how they changed some names on the localization as you can easily listen them saying other names but I guess they just wanted to respect the original translation?
    Random encounters can be reduced (or increased) by using items so I don't understand complains    Overall it's a good Tales game, I liked the Soma/Bonding/Shared skills and counterattacks. It plays fine on the Vita. I didn't like how they changed some names on the localization as you can easily listen them saying other names but I guess they just wanted to respect the original translation?
    Random encounters can be reduced (or increased) by using items so I don't understand complains about that...    … Expand
  16. WelshTom
    Jan 13, 2015
    8
    The funny characters and sensational battle system deserve a higher score, but the game is just pegged back by its rather bland world - the dungeons, towns and field are all lacklustre. Despite that, I would imagine that most JRPG fans will struggle to put this one down with its character-driven story keeping the player interested to the very end.
  17. JWilliamJames
    Aug 24, 2017
    5
    I'm a fan of the Tales series but I found this title disappointing. It feels a bit flat and uninspiring. The localisation into English is poor, the story isn't that compelling, and there's a lack of atmosphere: the dungeons are repetitive regularly-shaped mazes and NPCs in the towns stand completely still!

    I enjoyed the mythos of the game: that all the characters are named after    I'm a fan of the Tales series but I found this title disappointing. It feels a bit flat and uninspiring. The localisation into English is poor, the story isn't that compelling, and there's a lack of atmosphere: the dungeons are repetitive regularly-shaped mazes and NPCs in the towns stand completely still!

    I enjoyed the mythos of the game: that all the characters are named after gemstones or rocks, and the choice of names for the artes and the weapons. The battle system is great, as is the case with all Tales games, but the random encounters detract from the experience. I found it slightly difficult in parts, a couple of the boss battles took several attempts adjusting the strategy settings of my team, which I guess is indicative of a well-devised difficult curve.

    It's sort of worth picking up if you're a fan of the series, probably best avoiding if you have no prior investment. Tales of The Abyss on the 3DS is a much stronger and more exciting pick if you're after a handheld RPG    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best PS Vita Game of 2014
18
#18 Most Discussed PS Vita Game of 2014
5
#5 Most Shared PS Vita Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. The Vita Lounge
    Jan 16, 2015
    62
    While you won't find many unique ideas or a shiny polish here, you will find a competent roleplaying title that offers mild fun and challenge.
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  2. The Digital Fix
    Jan 2, 2015
    70
    It’s a lovely experience, and if you’re one of those gamers that live and breathe handheld RPGs then you really need to make the time to check this one out.
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  3. Worth Playing
    Dec 29, 2014
    72
    If you're a Tales fan, it's worth your time even if it is weaker than its console counterparts.
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