Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

 Switch
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 183 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 123 out of 183
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 183
  3. Negative: 23 out of 183
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  1. btbt
    Feb 14, 2019
    9
    New to the Tales series and waited to grab this since the first promotion dropped. I could not be happier, the port looks great and the combat system is very unique. I have been waiting for a good RPG to put hours into since grinding +300 hours in both xc2 and botw. The fact this game is a 10 year old port is nuts, aside from the battle music, I enjoy everything about this game. I amNew to the Tales series and waited to grab this since the first promotion dropped. I could not be happier, the port looks great and the combat system is very unique. I have been waiting for a good RPG to put hours into since grinding +300 hours in both xc2 and botw. The fact this game is a 10 year old port is nuts, aside from the battle music, I enjoy everything about this game. I am looking forward to more Tales ports and new titles. Hot dog the switch is an RPG Machine!… Expand
  2. guiletheguiles
    Sep 21, 2021
    8
    Tales of Vesperia is my first trip into this franchise. After being swallowed by near 70 hours of gameplay, I can definitely say that this is a must play for RPG fans.

    Like most RPGS, the artstyle is the first thing hurled at you once you boot it up. I'm glad to say that this game is beautiful. Not only the many environments you'll visit looks great, but character design, anime    Tales of Vesperia is my first trip into this franchise. After being swallowed by near 70 hours of gameplay, I can definitely say that this is a must play for RPG fans.

    Like most RPGS, the artstyle is the first thing hurled at you once you boot it up. I'm glad to say that this game is beautiful. Not only the many environments you'll visit looks great, but character design, anime cutscenes and music are very good.
    The charismatic cast of character also helps. Yuri, the protagonist, for example, may look like your typical anti-hero cliché guy, but as the story unravels, you find out that he's a bit more complex than than your standard main anime guy. In fact, most of your party members are fairly well-written, with good plots, believable motifs and an overarching development over the game's 3 acts. Patty, the definitive edition's new addition, should be enough to convince you to spend time here.

    It's a pitty that, although the cast is great, the writing and pacing do not help the overall storytelling. This lighthearted story is good. It actually goes a bit deeper than most regular RPGS, but the RIDICULOUS amount of not so compelling dialogues and slow interactions kinda kills the game's rhythm. And while the story is compelling, its supposedly epic moments are somewhat dull. I blame the pacing. Vesperia kinda outstays its welcome, which is a shame for a game so good.

    But while playing this gargantuan game, you'll experience one of the best gameplays that action RPGs of its time had to offer. The battle system definitely carries a bunch of shortcomings and limitations, but it works surprisingly well. Organizing your party and skills feels strategical, buying and synthesizing equipment and items is nice, boss battles are challenging, the game often gets tactical and intense, the AI works neatly, dungeons are simplistic and well-designed and pulling the right combos at the right time is addictive. It's all too fun. This game is from the XBOX 360 era, but yells PS2 RPG. And that is a fantastic compliment, in my opinion.

    The thing is, being a product of its time, Vesperia's gameplay is filled with limitations and archaic design flaws. If you like to nitpick, you might easily fall off the wagon.
    The combat takes a while to get used to, movement is stiff, difficulty spikes towards the end can make it a little grindy, getting mobbed and stunlocked in any fight IS a thing, you have to wait the enemy get up so you can damage it again, there are PLENTY of enemy reskins instead of new ones and not every dungeon is fun.
    And then there are the sidequests. Probably the most notable problem with the game. They are missable, clueless for no reason and, sometimes, rather unrewarding.

    Yet, Tales of Vesperia holds up reasonably well. I'm glad I got to play such an intriguing RPG. Its shortcomings and pacing issues may not be for everybody, but the game constantly compensates you for playing and spending time with this remarkable cast.

    Play this game. It has Patty in it. Do it for her.    … Expand
  3. nicksobis
    Jun 28, 2021
    9
    Awesome Jrpg.

    Although it's another unecessarily long game of the genre, this is one of the best jrpg on recent years. The combat is awesome, even If It is tought to master, but the beauty of the title comes down to the characters. With a great cell shading animation, the protagonists really keeps you invested in the story. From the stoic and badass Yuri, to the great Patty and Rita    Awesome Jrpg.

    Although it's another unecessarily long game of the genre, this is one of the best jrpg on recent years.
    The combat is awesome, even If It is tought to master, but the beauty of the title comes down to the characters. With a great cell shading animation, the protagonists really keeps you invested in the story. From the stoic and badass Yuri, to the great Patty and Rita Mordio. The dialogues between the gameplay only enchances their bond and Fun personality.    … Expand
  4. Korea_overlord
    Sep 14, 2019
    10
    the best games in my opinion are the tales of games. It makes fun to see the world and the environment. Most of the fights are really fun in the long run. Playing together with a friend or sister makes the game really interesting. I love this game very much.
  5. SuperRon
    Jan 14, 2019
    10
    The long awaited Complete Version of Tales of Vesperia!
    It feel SO GOOD to finally have a lot of costumes to unlock, finally a lots of sidequest to find out when you replay, finally a lots of optional content and bosses. I feel like this game gave me everything I wanted "more of" tales of symphonia.
    The characters are overall pretty good, Yuri put a great dynamic with the team and each    The long awaited Complete Version of Tales of Vesperia!
    It feel SO GOOD to finally have a lot of costumes to unlock, finally a lots of sidequest to find out when you replay, finally a lots of optional content and bosses. I feel like this game gave me everything I wanted "more of" tales of symphonia.

    The characters are overall pretty good, Yuri put a great dynamic with the team and each character feel very distinct.

    Battle Wise the game is more clunky in first few hours than most tales of, but open up much more in the end, which gives a fantastic sense of progression through the game and in the challenge keeps up, to max level in the endgame challenges. Add to that 9 playable characters and you have the most diverse cast and a lot to learn if you want to vary your play style.

    Story wise it's pretty simple, it's mostly about people figure it out and an adventure in the classic sense, it wasn't as groundbreaking as other tales of, but servicable.

    As most tales of you can still have fantastic couch multiplayer, expect great replayability from the NG+, unlocked difficulties, numerous Ex dungeons, and a lots of things to unlock.

    If for some reason you don't like anime or JRPG in general, just pass on this game, for the other just buy it.    … Expand
  6. NiboR
    Jan 31, 2019
    9
    What can i say? 4 player multiplayer. A great 50+ hours story. Alot of side quest and much more. With the Nintendo switch you can take this game on the go and because of that this is the best version of the game. I love this game from the beginning to the very end. This game have alot of replay value and are totally worth 45$. It's not even a 60$ game. If you haven't played this game andWhat can i say? 4 player multiplayer. A great 50+ hours story. Alot of side quest and much more. With the Nintendo switch you can take this game on the go and because of that this is the best version of the game. I love this game from the beginning to the very end. This game have alot of replay value and are totally worth 45$. It's not even a 60$ game. If you haven't played this game and own the system, now is your time. Perfect to play with your friends, partner or kids. The story is lovely, an action JRPG dream came true AGAIN.… Expand
  7. Rpg89
    Jan 22, 2019
    9
    This game is damn gorgeous!!! Buy it you won't regret. Every playthrough keeps making you to want more.
  8. Magenta1991
    Nov 14, 2019
    10
    Uno de los mejores Tales que puedes encontrar en el mercado actualmente. Una historia simple y libre de drama innecesario acompañado de uno de los mejores gameplays de la saga te motivan a utilizar todas las armas para sacar el mayor provecho de tus personajes, conforme progresas en el juego puedes sentir como mejoras en el mismo videojuego obteniendo más libertad en los combates paraUno de los mejores Tales que puedes encontrar en el mercado actualmente. Una historia simple y libre de drama innecesario acompañado de uno de los mejores gameplays de la saga te motivan a utilizar todas las armas para sacar el mayor provecho de tus personajes, conforme progresas en el juego puedes sentir como mejoras en el mismo videojuego obteniendo más libertad en los combates para orientarlos a la forma en que más gustes llevarlos. El casting exhibe una de las mayores cohesiones grupales que se han visto en cualquier RPG y todos aportan algo importante a la historia. Si el RPG es lo tuyo este juego tiene que estar en tu colección sí o sí.… Expand
  9. Tootzo
    Jul 28, 2019
    9
    @runeasgar: or simply this game is not for you, since 26 out of 27 reviewers gave it an 80+ score.
    The first Tales game I played was Symphonia on the GameCube and I loved it, though the grinding sometimes became boring. I played Berseria on the PS4 and I like the tone and setting in that game a little more, but my time with Vesperia has been great. There’s so much content in it, the    @runeasgar: or simply this game is not for you, since 26 out of 27 reviewers gave it an 80+ score.
    The first Tales game I played was Symphonia on the GameCube and I loved it, though the grinding sometimes became boring. I played Berseria on the PS4 and I like the tone and setting in that game a little more, but my time with Vesperia has been great. There’s so much content in it, the combat is really fun and even if the story may not be on par with other Tales games, is just as lovely.
    Highly recommended game for all those JRPG fans out there.    … Expand
  10. Alberto_Rahl
    Mar 4, 2020
    8
    Lo que mas me gustó, además de la historia, fue el estilo gráfico. El diseño "animesco" realmente le sienta bien y no me sería posible imaginármelo de ninguna otra forma.

    Sin haberlo jugado antes el propio juego me engañó hasta dos veces distintas pensando que ya había terminado para después descubrir que aun me quedaba la mayoría del juego por delante. Ni que decir que es un juego    Lo que mas me gustó, además de la historia, fue el estilo gráfico. El diseño "animesco" realmente le sienta bien y no me sería posible imaginármelo de ninguna otra forma.

    Sin haberlo jugado antes el propio juego me engañó hasta dos veces distintas pensando que ya había terminado para después descubrir que aun me quedaba la mayoría del juego por delante. Ni que decir que es un juego largo y que se disfruta de principio a fin.    … Expand
  11. Afenger
    Mar 2, 2020
    9
    Um jrpg de respeito vindo de uma das series mais aclamadas no quesito. Com as dlcs e todo conteúdo inédito adicionado na versão de Ps3 e agora em Full HD a 60fps só deixa esse game ainda mais atrativo para quem jogou e melhor ainda para os novatos.
  12. SainxtrichX
    Feb 2, 2020
    9
    Simplemente uno de los mejores JRPG que jamas he jugado, es rapido entretenido y completo.
    Los personajes son muy carismaticos y diversos.
    Los unicos puntos negativos que puedo recalcar son que para el final te pierdes un poco ya que cuesta saber donde ir, es fruto de su tiempo. Si jugaste tales of the abyss y tales of symphonia te recomiendo este juego al 100%
  13. Lesh0
    Dec 27, 2019
    9
    Ny first Tales game and I can say that i loved it !! Cant wait for more Tales games for the switch. This is my top 3 or even top 2 GOTY. The characters personality is amazing also the story was so good i didnt had a boring moment with this game. The only reason this is not a 10/10 is because the combat felt clucky and there were too many sidequests that gave you some good spells but wereNy first Tales game and I can say that i loved it !! Cant wait for more Tales games for the switch. This is my top 3 or even top 2 GOTY. The characters personality is amazing also the story was so good i didnt had a boring moment with this game. The only reason this is not a 10/10 is because the combat felt clucky and there were too many sidequests that gave you some good spells but were long and not so enjoying but after some time you get used to it. Its a must for people that enjoy jrpgs or good story and characters.… Expand
  14. Zelda1979
    Apr 7, 2019
    9
    Not as good as Symphonia but very enjoyable. Too many cut scenes and bit too easy ( I only died once during whole 50+ hours gameplay). Still highly recommend though
  15. Overload_25
    May 10, 2019
    9
    I have always been a fan of the tales franchise, so the fact that the game came out on the Switch was a god send for me. Yet another great entry in the franchise for those who had missed it on the Xbox last gen
  16. KowieT
    Feb 26, 2020
    9
    This JRPG never felt like I had to grind to defeat a boss. With the exception of a surprisingly challenging boss at the beginning of the game, my characters and their natural progression from enemy encounters have me enough experience to be well prepared for boss battles. The music was enchanting and gradually evolved as the story progressed which enhanced the excitement I felt as myThis JRPG never felt like I had to grind to defeat a boss. With the exception of a surprisingly challenging boss at the beginning of the game, my characters and their natural progression from enemy encounters have me enough experience to be well prepared for boss battles. The music was enchanting and gradually evolved as the story progressed which enhanced the excitement I felt as my characters became stronger. Voice acting is spot on!! A nice attention to detail was the character interactions during the victory screens. As things changed around them and the characters got to know each other more, their dialogue grew with them.… Expand
  17. littlestfinch
    May 7, 2020
    10
    Wow, I loved this game! I picked this up as an accidental recommendation from a friend (they confused it with another Tales of game) and I'm so glad I did! I'm totally new to this series and based on my experience here would absolutely visit another title.

    I will start by saying that I don't fully love the combat. It's not awful by any means, but I am glad that there was an auto-battle    Wow, I loved this game! I picked this up as an accidental recommendation from a friend (they confused it with another Tales of game) and I'm so glad I did! I'm totally new to this series and based on my experience here would absolutely visit another title.

    I will start by saying that I don't fully love the combat. It's not awful by any means, but I am glad that there was an auto-battle option for world map mobs and general farming. I did really enjoy a lot of the other systems though, especially those revolving around weapons and skills! I enjoyed building out my team and using different strategies even with auto-battle going so you're not fully detached from the experience.

    I see some complaints about the number of cutscenes and story moments, but I loved it! The animations were gorgeous. I loved most of the voice acting in the game. I really loved the characters that make up your party. Seriously they were so charming and there was some solid character growth especially with the ladies! Between the characters and the story itself, the game kept me fully engaged all the way through.

    My only actual complaints are the lack of mini maps & quest indications. I know that was a common thing in games at some point, but I feel like they could have been added into this remaster of the game. There are certain locations (a castle and a specific temple come immediately to mind) that are a nightmare to navigate through and took longer than necessary to complete because of this. I'm also finding that I missed a lot of content in my first playthrough because there is no rhyme or reason to finding side quests!

    I honestly can't believe how old this game is, because it doesn't feel like it! In fact, I finished my first run of the game, bust out a guide and now I'm running a New Game+ so I can get every bit of this game's content. I'm a quarter of the way through my replay and I'm already finding so much I missed!

    This was actually one of my first forays into JRPGs that isn't FF or LoZ and based on this I really want to break into more titles under that flag! Honestly, this game has helped me forget the current state of the world for a bit and escape, which is my very favorite quality of a good video game.    … Expand
  18. CasualTap
    Oct 16, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is an anime heavily inspired JRPG game published by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment.

    You will play as Yuri Lowell, who was once a knight and didn’t believe in the justice system but sought to deal with injustice with his dirty hands. As the story develops, more people will join you to save the world, which is typical of a JRPG. The art work is okay-ish and the music is serviceable, overall. But, admittedly the OP music was a very brilliant part!

    In my playthrough, the first 10hrs or so of Tales was very good. But then the quality began to drop. But don’t worry it would pick up again and stayed consistently good and very engaging throughout. Basically, it had a very strong hook but struggled to set up and introduce the main story. However, the main plots frustrated me in a way that at first I thought I already beat the final boss but then another major plot was introduced. It was like that three times or so. Every one of it seemed to end smoothly. But then I realised there was more to explore and uncover! It was annoying and unsettling. It would be nice if they set aside the major plots for DLCs, didn’t end each one that smoothly or just dropped a hint that there would be more to the game. Also note that you have to pay attention to the conversations most of the time. Or you will get lost and do not know what to do or where to visit next.

    In this definitive edition, you will have access to various cosmetics/clothes for the characters. I did expect the game to look good but at some point the graphics turned blurry while certain parts weren’t voiced over either. I wonder if it was due to glitches or because they did not do a good job in porting the game. Though it didn’t bother me much, I think it’s still worth pointing out.

    I did beat the game. But I’m torn between giving it a solid 9 or a decent 7. Definitely, it can’t be an 8 for me. There were times when I was blown away by how amazing the game was and also times when I almost gave up playing it altogether. For now, I tentatively give it 7.8/10.    … Expand
  19. Rygon
    Jul 31, 2022
    10
    After playing Phantasia, Symphonia and Abyss, I must say this Tales of has surprised me for good. The character is so original for a JRPG and the story keeps you sticked to it with every event that happends through the game. The gameplay is very good and has a lot of possibilities never seen in old titles.
  20. Vinzkill
    Dec 1, 2022
    10
    Great story. The gameplay is ok. Not a fan of the graphics either. But the characters are interesting and they are one of my favorite casts. The story progression is nice as well. I enjoyed it. If your an rpg fan but got tired of turnbased or strategy with tiles, try this game.
  21. Moekn
    May 6, 2022
    10
    35 hours into the game and iam really enjoying it,the art style,the story and the gameplay is amazing the leveling system is classic which each level up increase your stats at auto and thats what i like about it ,its on sale for 10$ its 100% worth it,yea i remmber it may look bad at the screenshots but trust me you wont regret buying it if you are rpg or anime fan.

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best Switch Game of 2019
46
#46 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019
52
#52 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Switch Player
    Apr 17, 2019
    80
    Tales of Vesperia still holds up as a game that is absolutely charming and enjoyable to play, with a multi-faceted cast of characters and a story of intrigue. It’s a JRPG that deserves your attention, even despite its tangible flaws.
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  2. Nintendo Insider
    Mar 22, 2019
    90
    Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is one of the best RPGs to grace the Nintendo Switch. It’s a lengthy adventure that will keep players absorbed from start to finish. With new content and new characters, those looking to double-dip will more than get their money’s worth. The added joy of having Tales of Vesperia on a portable device elevates to new heights as you can now enjoy all it has to offer at any time and in any place. If you missed out on this gem a decade ago, it is time to rectify that mistake and immerse yourself in one of the finest RPGs to release this decade.
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  3. Worth Playing
    Feb 26, 2019
    80
    All in all, Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is a solid remaster of a fun and enjoyable JRPG. It has its flaws and foibles, including a relative weak final story arc and a somewhat inconsistent battle system, but it's one of the most popular Tales titles for a reason. It's plenty of fun to play, and fans of JRPGs will easily overlook the flaws for what is a genuinely enjoyable romp through an old game style.
    Read full review
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