Tales of Vesperia

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 323 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 254 out of 323
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 323
  3. Negative: 20 out of 323
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  1. VermillionHaze
    May 11, 2012
    9
    Tales of Vesperia is a diamond in the barren wasteland that is the 360 JRPG library. It has a lovely look, great voice acting and extremly fun gameplay. It's a long grind to complete but well worth it. I'd recommend this game to anyone looking for a challenge without sacrificing quality.
  2. DeLeon
    Nov 30, 2011
    9
    This was the last Great JRPG on the HD generation of consoles, too bad critics were blind at the time and liked to hate on JRPGS...now they all are saying they wanted them back...well their faulkt for neatpicking
    Tales of Vesperia is a great RPG whit nice characters and storyteling, fast paced battle system, a huge world to explore....man I wish there was more games like those!!
  3. Infielozo
    Oct 29, 2013
    9
    It was a true pleasure to experience this one, story and battle system are a amazing. The Characters are likable, but the main character stands out. This is an instant classic and it is deserving of a sequel. The side-quests were not really a strength and I felt they were scarce, but this really is another masterpiece and should not be missed by true RPG gamers.
  4. Bloodshed194
    Mar 25, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love this game. The characters, plot and game play all stand as the shining example of what other JRPGs should aim for. One comparison I noticed was to Final Fantasy VII. I think that is an unfair comparison. They are completely different game outside of being JRPGs in Science fantasy settings and one focus each story has. That focus is on how technology can destroy the world. In FFVII, the plot starts off with you playing as eco terrorists who are trying to stop a power plant from abusing the earth's energy. It's one sided, having the energy that's clearly destroying the planet be used for comfort. In Tales of Vesperia, their source of energy, aer, is unknowingly destroying the world due to overuse and the people use it to protect themselves against monsters, not abuse for comfort. The game acknowledges how the energy source is only bad in excess and that an alternative may be necessary to save the world and keep monsters at bay. Tales of Vesperia has a much more in-depth look at environmental damage, whereas FFVII is unsubtle and forgets about that plot point a few hours in. If you're comparing the two games, Tales of Vesperia has the advantage in the only thing they truly have in common outside of setting.… Expand
  5. bloop
    Jan 22, 2015
    10
    Sick game! I'm usually not into jrpgs, and it seemed a bit weird/slow at first but holy moley this game opened up a whole new genre for me and its definitely worth a pickup.
  6. [Anonymous]
    Aug 27, 2008
    9
    Simply beautiful. is everything you've come to expect from a tales game.
  7. wastelander75
    Nov 26, 2011
    8
    Surprisingly well put together little JPRG. I like the voice acting, as well as the unusually dark tone in the game. Yuri Lowell is easily a likeable and understandable protag. Sure it's got its usual JPRG flair, it's still balanced enough to have westerners like myself enjoy it. What's really surprising is the chock full of stuff to do all crammed on a single disc. I was expecting TalesSurprisingly well put together little JPRG. I like the voice acting, as well as the unusually dark tone in the game. Yuri Lowell is easily a likeable and understandable protag. Sure it's got its usual JPRG flair, it's still balanced enough to have westerners like myself enjoy it. What's really surprising is the chock full of stuff to do all crammed on a single disc. I was expecting Tales to be like the usual JRPG titles, 3 or 4 discs, most of it cutscene fluff. But, oddly enough, minimal in that department yet enjoyable to experience nontheless.… Expand
  8. Kenmei
    Mar 9, 2014
    10
    Truly one of the best RPG games of all time, and my pick as best JRPG of the last gen consoles, Tales of Vesperia is when the Tales series really started to take off. While riding high on the success of Symphonia, Vesperia introduced widespread changes to alot of the core mechanics of the game while making the experience feel like a classic Tales game. The thing that jumps out the mostTruly one of the best RPG games of all time, and my pick as best JRPG of the last gen consoles, Tales of Vesperia is when the Tales series really started to take off. While riding high on the success of Symphonia, Vesperia introduced widespread changes to alot of the core mechanics of the game while making the experience feel like a classic Tales game. The thing that jumps out the most here is the characters. From the main character Yuri to his canine friend Repede, each character has a certain charm that most games can only dream of having. Their interactions with each other is truly the brightest spot in an already fabulous game and it really sets itself apart because of the now voiced skits. Giving voices to the skits is a huge deal, even if you may not realize it. Going from Symphonia to Vesperia you'll feel a huge difference between the two and the voiced skits give that extra push you need to really care about these characters. The battle system has been tweaked just a bit, adding the ability to move in a 360 angle around the battlefield, which is huge. Plus the strategy it takes to beat some of the missions is helped out immensely by being able to move in every direction. While the ending is a bit campy and the story is anything but original, there's so much to this game that I can take away from its final score because of a story you've seen a thousand other times. This game renewed my interest in JRPG's and the biggest fault I can find here is the fact that we'll never see the best version of it in the states, the PS3 version which adds two new characters to the roster and quite a bit more stuff to the world. It's still easily the best JRPG on the system, and top 3 JRPG's of the last gen console's at least. Wonderful game that needs to be played by all fans of JRPG's.… Expand
  9. AlloySeven
    Feb 14, 2013
    9
    Tales of Vesperia is the best Japanese Role Playing Game on the current generation of consoles. Full Review Here http://alloyseven.com/articles/game/item/62-tales-of-vesperia-review
  10. Pariable
    Mar 23, 2017
    9
    Probably my favorite of the Tales series. The characters and the story move you throughout the expansive world. The over world works well in this one, and I wished they had chosen to continue using this formula for the more recent Tales games (rather than save point fast travels which detract from the concept of exploring the world Namco Bandai created). So lets get to why this is aProbably my favorite of the Tales series. The characters and the story move you throughout the expansive world. The over world works well in this one, and I wished they had chosen to continue using this formula for the more recent Tales games (rather than save point fast travels which detract from the concept of exploring the world Namco Bandai created). So lets get to why this is a 9/10 and not a perfect 10. While it meets my criteria of the holy trinity: challenging, rewarding, and emotionally impacting. I can say it does not do one thing well, it concludes too well. No spoilers, but once beating this game the concept of a new game+ is not necessarily appealing. To me that removes one aspect which is the cherry on top for the 10/10 rating, replay-ablilty. By falling short for only that I can say this is a masterful Tales game. Yuri and his crew are all perfectly written and work well with each other. You truly get a feel for all the motivations and character progressions throughout this saga. The story is a 10/10 and so are many of the side quests (for which there are many). The combat system is second (in my opinion) only to Zestiria in enjoyable faced paced beat em up and item management. The trigger events during combat give it some flare along with all the returning and new artes. Each character is unique in their fighting style so playing through parts of the story with each can be a fun change of pace. The visuals and the soundtrack are one of the best in the series, as well. You get a thumbs up from me, so go play this game!… Expand
  11. WampThing
    Aug 20, 2009
    10
    Love the non-turnbased battles, and the game implements a ton of action during a battle. The boss battles are also pretty unique, because almost every boss has a secret way to being defeated. You can also use different characters to mix with your style, swords/axes,spears to bows to magic its got it all! Great and long story mode. I will say it "Amazing!" Been a fan of the "Tales" series, Love the non-turnbased battles, and the game implements a ton of action during a battle. The boss battles are also pretty unique, because almost every boss has a secret way to being defeated. You can also use different characters to mix with your style, swords/axes,spears to bows to magic its got it all! Great and long story mode. I will say it "Amazing!" Been a fan of the "Tales" series, and if you like the others, this one is the best yet.… Expand
  12. RyanD
    Sep 7, 2008
    10
    A stunning experience. The environments are beautiful, the soundtrack is excellent, the story is astounding, and most of all, as you progress further and further through the game, you'll find that you care about your party members more than many, many people in your own life. Voice acting is superb; it is near-impossible to outdo the job they've done here. When you check into an A stunning experience. The environments are beautiful, the soundtrack is excellent, the story is astounding, and most of all, as you progress further and further through the game, you'll find that you care about your party members more than many, many people in your own life. Voice acting is superb; it is near-impossible to outdo the job they've done here. When you check into an inn and everybody is sitting in their own place in contemplation, one cannot help but be moved by the soft serenade in the background as you walk around, talking and ultimately building relationships with everybody and feeling like you really know them as a friend. This game had me convinced for sure.… Expand
  13. ZackaryS.
    Oct 9, 2008
    10
    I'm glad that the user scores for this game are more fair. this game is the best in the tales series and maybe one of the best JRPG i ahve ever played. i like JRPG but i can never finished them. but this game i made a point to finish and i am glad i did.
  14. KevinR
    Sep 10, 2008
    9
    Another great entry to the best running series of RPGs (yes, better than the highly overrated Final Fantasy). The combat is better than ever, with more emphasis on combos and team coordination than in any other entry. The story, while not ground-breaking (but what is these days...) is well crafted, with a cast of incredibly interesting and lovable characters. The graphics and soundtrack Another great entry to the best running series of RPGs (yes, better than the highly overrated Final Fantasy). The combat is better than ever, with more emphasis on combos and team coordination than in any other entry. The story, while not ground-breaking (but what is these days...) is well crafted, with a cast of incredibly interesting and lovable characters. The graphics and soundtrack are top-notch, which is to be expected on the more powerful Xbox 360. It all makes for one of the better RPGs of the new console generation.… Expand
  15. SY
    Sep 13, 2008
    10
    A classic JRPG with solid presentation and little to no bog-down such as loads that were common in PS2 games. A lot of the reviews shown here will make a huge issue about 'cliches' in the system, to which I must point out, since when did JRPGs NOT follow familiar cliches to a point? To say that Final Fantasy is original because you get airships and Tales cliched because you get A classic JRPG with solid presentation and little to no bog-down such as loads that were common in PS2 games. A lot of the reviews shown here will make a huge issue about 'cliches' in the system, to which I must point out, since when did JRPGs NOT follow familiar cliches to a point? To say that Final Fantasy is original because you get airships and Tales cliched because you get an airship is absolutely ridiculous. Everything is made to be as user-friendly as possible (for example if you're no good with the action battles you can ramp down the difficulty, or increase it if it's too easy for you) and allows you to concentrate on enjoying the game.… Expand
  16. WzardHsc
    Nov 30, 2010
    10
    A wonderful game. Great soundtrack, captivating story and characters well developed. The gameplay is quite engaging. I would like to see Tales of Grace on the Xbox too, or maybe a continuation of Tales of Vesperia.
  17. sands777
    Oct 4, 2010
    10
    Great, great game. The battle system is the best in the Tales series thus far, real time fighting is always a pleasant addition to RPGs. The story will make it difficult to stop playing the game at points. But what really made me love this game were the characters. The characters you are able to play as are just very likable, meld very well together, and have excellent development. AsGreat, great game. The battle system is the best in the Tales series thus far, real time fighting is always a pleasant addition to RPGs. The story will make it difficult to stop playing the game at points. But what really made me love this game were the characters. The characters you are able to play as are just very likable, meld very well together, and have excellent development. As you progress through the game you realize just how much they care for each other, and how much you care for them. The song that plays in the intro to the game is very addicting, and every time I start it up I can't bring myself to skip it. I have played many games, yet this is the first one I have ever loved so much to write a review for. Play this game, I can guarantee you'll enjoy yourself.… Expand
  18. CollinL.
    Sep 19, 2008
    9
    This is the best tale game in the series with a perfected game mechanic and a exciting story filled with conspiracies and plot twists. Fun from the start to finish but with exception of a few frustrating boss fights.
  19. AnonymousMC
    Nov 2, 2008
    10
    Vesperia is the best Tales yet, and the best next-gen JRPG. There's nothing I dislike about this game. Great plot, superb character development, beautiful graphics, enjoyable combat, and all the satisfying RPG aspects are present in this game. It's deffinetly one of the best RPGs i've every played, and I've played dozens. The Metacritic average is lower than that ofVesperia is the best Tales yet, and the best next-gen JRPG. There's nothing I dislike about this game. Great plot, superb character development, beautiful graphics, enjoyable combat, and all the satisfying RPG aspects are present in this game. It's deffinetly one of the best RPGs i've every played, and I've played dozens. The Metacritic average is lower than that of Fable II, yet in RPG aspects this game is superior in almost every way. Still a decent meta score, but goes to show critics are just people with opinions, like everyone else, except they get their's published.… Expand
  20. Adam
    Sep 3, 2008
    10
    Everything about this game is great. The battles, which are extremely fun, the voice acting, the beautiful graphics, the great story, and the many hours of entertainment it will give you.
  21. NohmadT
    Sep 23, 2009
    10
    Obviously this game is not for everyone, no game is. If you're a fan of RPG's, I'd suggest giving this a go. I enjoyed this game even more than I did FFVII. So the score I'm giving is based on my experience of enjoyability. 130 Hours in and it still keeps me hooked.
  22. Slammin87
    May 20, 2011
    10
    Tales of Vesperia is everything a proper RPG should be. Great characters that you will warm to, brilliant over-the-top story, lots of side quests, customisation, character upgrades and progression, and charmfull humour.

    I've been waiting a long time to play a decent RPG on the 360. (and no Mass Effect and Elder Scrolls are NOT RPG's) While Tales of Vesperia falls slightly short of the    Tales of Vesperia is everything a proper RPG should be. Great characters that you will warm to, brilliant over-the-top story, lots of side quests, customisation, character upgrades and progression, and charmfull humour.

    I've been waiting a long time to play a decent RPG on the 360. (and no Mass Effect and Elder Scrolls are NOT RPG's) While Tales of Vesperia falls slightly short of the dizzy heights of FF7 and FFX, its not far off, and I compare it to the likes of Dark Chronicle/Dark Cloud 2, which was another brilliant cell-shaded RPG. Its an excellent game that will take you in with its awe, and you will easily find yourself putting 100+ hours in.    … Expand
  23. Charllize
    Aug 6, 2013
    5
    Not bad.Story is standart, graphics looks good. But combat and character development is little boring. And totally horrible thing is, if you want see all things in game, you cant play without guide. 50% game is missable. I know, lot a JRPG have missable things, but here, hmm..crazy.I hate use guides, and dont want play same game 4 or 6 times for see everything..NO!
  24. DERHYUSAVALON
    Jun 25, 2009
    0
    Es indignante que tras 1 año de espera con respecto a los japoneses y yankis nos llegue a ESPAÑA un juego sin doblar ni traducir al ESPAÑOL...

    INDIGNANTE... MUY MAL por NAMCO-BANDAI y la distribuidora ATARI. 1 AÑO localizando el juego para europa y se olvidan del tercer idioma más hablado del mundo. 1 Año para sólo sacarlo en    Es indignante que tras 1 año de espera con respecto a los japoneses y yankis nos llegue a ESPAÑA un juego sin doblar ni traducir al ESPAÑOL...

    INDIGNANTE... MUY MAL por NAMCO-BANDAI y la distribuidora ATARI. 1 AÑO localizando el juego para europa y se olvidan del tercer idioma más hablado del mundo. 1 Año para sólo sacarlo en Inglés, francés y Alemán... ¡Desde luego se han tocado bien los huevos!    … Expand
  25. houjo2000
    Oct 13, 2012
    10
    This is the best game since the SNES. Amazing, fast paced combat both easy to learn and rewarding/challenging to master. Beautiful graphics. A surprisingly deep story and well designed characters for a JRPG. Great music, plenty of funny skits that you expect from Tales games, hundreds of hours of play. I literally have nothing bad to say about this game, and it is my second favourite gameThis is the best game since the SNES. Amazing, fast paced combat both easy to learn and rewarding/challenging to master. Beautiful graphics. A surprisingly deep story and well designed characters for a JRPG. Great music, plenty of funny skits that you expect from Tales games, hundreds of hours of play. I literally have nothing bad to say about this game, and it is my second favourite game of all time after Final Fantasy VI.… Expand
  26. Daelus
    Mar 16, 2015
    2
    I bought this game when I first started gaming 3 years ago; after about an hour it was clear it wasn't my style, so I shelved it. Quite a few games like that in the beginning that I have come back to to clean up the Achiivements. Every other game, from Dark Souls to Quake 4, has either turned out to be a fantastic game or a servicable one....then there is this thing...

    In the 90's, as a    I bought this game when I first started gaming 3 years ago; after about an hour it was clear it wasn't my style, so I shelved it. Quite a few games like that in the beginning that I have come back to to clean up the Achiivements. Every other game, from Dark Souls to Quake 4, has either turned out to be a fantastic game or a servicable one....then there is this thing...

    In the 90's, as a kid I thought JRPG's were awesome and if this game came out in the early/ mid 90's, it would have been average to good. In 2012, let alone 2015, this game is horrible rubbish unless you are a complete and utter JRPG fanboy. I can't fathom people in 2015 (which there are) suggesting the visuals in this game are stunning....even for a 2D game (how did we ever live like this???), the visuals are average at best.

    The characters - androgenous as only the Japanese can dream up....and bland, bland, bland.
    Story line - there was one? I'm serious, there is no storyline here; no idea why we're doing any of it....1 loooong fetch quest...in a very uninteresting world.
    Combat engine is great??? Compared to what from the 90s?

    I made it through about 20 hours...that I will never get back. One of the very few games I have left most of the Achievements on the board...and the only 1 that the Achievements not gotten were not multiplayer.

    Conclusion - if you are a JRPG fan, you may enjoy this 1990's game...if you aren't steer well clear.    … Expand
  27. Kakashi2
    Jul 22, 2013
    7
    Sweeter than honey. This game is the best Jrpg on the 360 by far. The game is just soooo pretty to look at. The characters are likeable (which is getting harder to find with jrpgs). I understand that this game has some clichés but to me it felt like a sweet throwback. This game puts its twist on the conventions. I like this game so much because it is fun continuously. That's really all ISweeter than honey. This game is the best Jrpg on the 360 by far. The game is just soooo pretty to look at. The characters are likeable (which is getting harder to find with jrpgs). I understand that this game has some clichés but to me it felt like a sweet throwback. This game puts its twist on the conventions. I like this game so much because it is fun continuously. That's really all I need in a game.… Expand
  28. mafonso
    Aug 13, 2013
    6
    I have a lot of history with JRPGs, and I hadn't played one in a year or two so I decided to throw this one on my game que for gamefly and try it out. I start playing it and it resembles what most JRPGs are like for the first 8 hours or so. Out of no where the game runs into this terrible problem of character development where they are repeatedly saying the same things over and over againI have a lot of history with JRPGs, and I hadn't played one in a year or two so I decided to throw this one on my game que for gamefly and try it out. I start playing it and it resembles what most JRPGs are like for the first 8 hours or so. Out of no where the game runs into this terrible problem of character development where they are repeatedly saying the same things over and over again and it's doing nothing for you in character development, the team takes on somewhere between 8-15 jobs that are all of their "main missions" and slowly learn information and repeat repeat repeat. It gets very tiresome to sit through dialogue while the main character says, "choose for yourself" to the other character over and over again. It feels like the characters want to split up but always decide last minute to stay. You expect it... and it got in my head and made me really really annoyed with the game.. I think there must have been some sort of translation issue.… Expand
  29. Mikeylano
    Mar 29, 2014
    5
    I became so drowned in dialogue that I lost the will to finish this game after 25 hours of playtime.

    The battle system is not all that great. In the end, it boils down to pressing attack or a macroed special attack (arte) and hoping that your target doesn't wander off slightly to the side. Flying enemies are a complete pain. "Combos" are unsatisfying and not true combos. It's a matter    I became so drowned in dialogue that I lost the will to finish this game after 25 hours of playtime.

    The battle system is not all that great. In the end, it boils down to pressing attack or a macroed special attack (arte) and hoping that your target doesn't wander off slightly to the side. Flying enemies are a complete pain. "Combos" are unsatisfying and not true combos. It's a matter of pressing the right macros in sequence.

    This battle system would have been a whole lot better if you were able to actively switch between the four characters on the field at will. Instead you are locked into playing just one, with the option of commanding the others through a clunky menu that pauses the action. There is an option to assign just four attacks from other characters to the game pad, which simply isn't enough. This means you leave most of the action to the computer whilst you mash the attack button and attempt a "combo".

    Most of the characters are not fun to play. Yuri is the only one I had fun with; the others are clunky, slow or entirely dependent on TP (which is too onerous to recover and severely disadvantages them against players that can deal damage for free with weapons).

    I'm not much of a fan of anime but I found this art style quite charming. The characters are perfect for this type of game, but unfortunately, in my personal opinion, this made them cringeworthy and annoying at times. Estellise was the main offender, but several others were also very cliché. Clearly, this is what anime fans want to see, but for those who are not, the experience becomes very repetitive and one-dimensional. For example, I'm sure fans love that Karol, the young boy, is so excitable yet determined - taking on the role of a leader. But to everyone else, he seems like a child who has become too big for his boots and shrieks a lot. At times I just wanted Yuri (the older, main character) to tell him he needs to grow up and listen to others. Perhaps my real qualm is with the lack of maturity embedded in the characters; e.g. Rita is always stroppy, Estellise is always naive, except for those things she has studied. It creates a setting that is just not enjoyable for anyone but anime fans.

    The dialogue was just too frequent, nonsensical and irrelevant. Most of the "skits" (talking head conversations on screen) were entirely for the purpose of character building - great to a degree, but painstaking in excess - especially when several cutscenes are followed by a series of skits. I was sitting there thinking "oh god just shut up" many times towards the end of my experience.

    The world is fine and as you would expect, although I would have to say that if you are a masochist determined to complete every section of this game then expect to spend a long time doing it - with the help of guides. From the first battle you are expected to start working towards trophy goals that you will otherwise have to obtain by restarting the game.

    The graphics are good, but with an art style like this, I should hope so (I personally prefer photorealistic games, although this art style did work tremendously with this game, for which I give it credit).

    The "story" is not so much one linear story with a defined objective, but a narrative about a journey where the goal constantly changes depending on the whims of the party members and the events they encounter. Ultimately, the game feels quite aimless and the desire to go on is seriously reduced - nothing is a surprise/sidequest/setback because there is no overall goal.

    I am very disappointed with this game. I think you have to be a die-hard anime fan to enjoy the charm of the characters and world. Personally, I enjoy a battle system that makes me sweat and a story that makes me laugh and cry. Tales of Vesperia does none of those things. It's like being on prozac - everything is just lukewarm. Hence why I give this 5/10. Only die hard anime fans need apply.    … Expand
  30. Broyax
    Apr 14, 2017
    0
    Si on met de côté la naiserie incommensurable de l'histoire et la stupidité effarante des dialogues et l'aspect dessin animé manga pour les 3-5 ans (assez mignon au passage -au moins pour les décors), on pourrait sans doute se laisser tenter...? En fait non, même en faisant abstraction de ces éléments déjà abrutissants en soi, impossible d'adhérer à cette débilité à moins d'avoir laSi on met de côté la naiserie incommensurable de l'histoire et la stupidité effarante des dialogues et l'aspect dessin animé manga pour les 3-5 ans (assez mignon au passage -au moins pour les décors), on pourrait sans doute se laisser tenter...? En fait non, même en faisant abstraction de ces éléments déjà abrutissants en soi, impossible d'adhérer à cette débilité à moins d'avoir la cervelle qui dégouline par les oreilles...

    Et ce n'est pas le combat en temps réel d'une nullité absolue qui va y remédier, ni l'impossibilité de contrôler la caméra comme dans un Resident Evil d'il y a 15 ans... Quant à la musique, elle finit de vous achever : ces petites ritournelles servent à faire parler les prisonniers. Un jeu pour les enfants japonais donc ou qui aurait eu mieux sa place sur les téléphones portables pour s'y endormir entre deux stations de métro, bourré de saké.    … Expand
  31. TheJT
    Sep 4, 2008
    10
    If you liked Tales of Symphonia then you will love this game. It has nice cel-shaded graphics and the combat is satisfying and fun. The story is also very interesting , although it has some annoying characters. But overall it is a very fun game to play and a long one too, it's worth it.
  32. KevinC.
    Aug 31, 2008
    9
    Great RPG. Beautiful graphics aswell.
  33. ShaneS
    Jun 22, 2011
    7
    Several design flaws hold this game back. The producers seem to think that turning a twenty hour game into a forty hour game by doubling the encounter rates is a good thing. This is confusing since the game offers a replay mode which lets you play agian after beating the game. The game robs the player of the only main healer towards the end of the game, and forces you to fight bossesSeveral design flaws hold this game back. The producers seem to think that turning a twenty hour game into a forty hour game by doubling the encounter rates is a good thing. This is confusing since the game offers a replay mode which lets you play agian after beating the game. The game robs the player of the only main healer towards the end of the game, and forces you to fight bosses without a healer class. The friendly AI doesn't seem to know what to do in battle half the time. Flying enemies are a giant pain since attacking them with normal characters is all but impossible. Bosses are H.A.R.D.! The best part of the game is the story, and characters within it. The story has to do with pollution, and the ethical dilemma whether or not you should kill someone who may unintentially kill others. The characters consist of an old spy, a main character who breaks the law in order to do good, an opposing character who wants the law followed regardless of the consequences, a niave person who is learning about the world, a kid who must find some self confidence in order to save the day, and a dog who smokes a pipe. The combat is good and not button mashy at all but the game takes forever trying to lean the player into the mechanics of combat. It won't be until twenty hours into the game that the game is done teaching you how to play it. Overall if you see it for under twenty dollars you might want to pick it up. If you see the game before it in the series "Tales of Symphonia" then grab that instead.… Expand
  34. Super_Cloud
    Jan 1, 2016
    9
    When i originally played this game i was kinda disappointed, it started getting interesting after around 15 hours of game time (around the coliseum) I'm replaying Vesperia every year and over time this became one of my favorite Tales of, i don't know if it's because the newer tales of never give me the same satisfaction but i feel like the newer are never as good, the game is around 35-40When i originally played this game i was kinda disappointed, it started getting interesting after around 15 hours of game time (around the coliseum) I'm replaying Vesperia every year and over time this became one of my favorite Tales of, i don't know if it's because the newer tales of never give me the same satisfaction but i feel like the newer are never as good, the game is around 35-40 hours long but if you do every side quest in the game it can easily double, the characters are amazing, Yuri is one the Best character ever, i also don't get the hate with Karol, hes an awesome char and his english is also great. The OST is awesome, really one of the best Tales of ever.… Expand
  35. Kuriel
    Sep 10, 2011
    10
    Questo titolo ha tutto quello che cercate da un gioco di ruolo giapponese.
    A partire dalla caratterizzazione dei personaggi, veramente ottima. Se pensate che la caratterizzazione di un animale nei confronti di un umano sia insignificante, in questo gioco dovrete ricredervi in quanto Repeede ( il cane della squadra ) è un vero e proprio personaggio ottimamente caratterizzato.    Questo titolo ha tutto quello che cercate da un gioco di ruolo giapponese.
    A partire dalla caratterizzazione dei personaggi, veramente ottima. Se pensate che la caratterizzazione di un animale nei confronti di un umano sia insignificante, in questo gioco dovrete ricredervi in quanto Repeede ( il cane della squadra ) è un vero e proprio personaggio ottimamente caratterizzato.
    Anche la trama si attesta su ottimi livelli. Vi ritroverete a perseguire l'obbiettivo del protagonista, apparentemente senza significato, per poi arrivare a dover salvare il mondo.    … Expand
  36. Caestus
    Feb 26, 2013
    7
    Tales of Vesperia fells like a beta version of something it wanted to be. Besides Yuri and maybe raven every other character is annoying and not fun to play. The story ist 0815 JRPG and does not offer anything special. It is not a bad game, fight system is still fun to play but i have expecteed more.
  37. msg78
    Dec 11, 2011
    10
    The best JRPG on the 360. It has all the attributes of a 90's JRPG which is missing from other games in this generation. If you love the early Final Fantasies, Chrono Trigger etc, you will love this too.
  38. BuckyX2
    Aug 10, 2011
    9
    This game is a good time, the player count is actually 4 players, so you can get a few friends together and supply a beatdown for the ages. The characters can be insanely annoying, but then again, there's always an annoying character in anime shows. I don't like the fact that there's only one person that can move around, especially if you have 4 people waiting for the battles. It's a lotThis game is a good time, the player count is actually 4 players, so you can get a few friends together and supply a beatdown for the ages. The characters can be insanely annoying, but then again, there's always an annoying character in anime shows. I don't like the fact that there's only one person that can move around, especially if you have 4 people waiting for the battles. It's a lot of fun, though, and the graphics are cool, so it deserves a 9 in my books, very few flaws that aren't even a big deal.… Expand
  39. Worldwearygamer
    Aug 24, 2011
    9
    As my first experience with the Tales franchise, this game was fantastic. A compelling story, with a fantastic cast of characters, plus a compelling battle mechanic, immeasurable depth, tons of side quests, a great soundtrack, strong voice acting, and a great art style. This game will last you a very long time; I spent over 80 hours on my first playthrough, and I am looking forward toAs my first experience with the Tales franchise, this game was fantastic. A compelling story, with a fantastic cast of characters, plus a compelling battle mechanic, immeasurable depth, tons of side quests, a great soundtrack, strong voice acting, and a great art style. This game will last you a very long time; I spent over 80 hours on my first playthrough, and I am looking forward to playing it again. If that isn't worth $25, I don't know what is.… Expand
  40. Izumo199
    Nov 26, 2011
    10
    Probably the best JRPG I've ever played. The story is fairly good although a little generic. I like the story because of the major thing on the corruption of the government. The battles are fun and boss battles are amazing. In the third chapter of the game I couldn't wait to find my next boss battle because I knew how amazing they were going to be. Graphics are beautiful. The enviromentsProbably the best JRPG I've ever played. The story is fairly good although a little generic. I like the story because of the major thing on the corruption of the government. The battles are fun and boss battles are amazing. In the third chapter of the game I couldn't wait to find my next boss battle because I knew how amazing they were going to be. Graphics are beautiful. The enviroments are just amazing. The characters are really good too. I know with most JRPGs there is normally a few good characters and then one that is anoying as **** but that wasn't the case with this game. I didn't just like the characters, I felt something for them. Like I actually cared about the characters. Few games have made me do that and it seems to always be JRPGs like these. Theres a lot to do. The story took me around 50+ hours and there is easily 100+ hours if your a completionist like myself. I definitely reccomend this to anyone who is a fan of the series or a fan of JRPGs. Hand down the best JRPG I have ever played.… Expand
  41. namDa65
    Jan 6, 2012
    10
    This game is great. I played for a whole week trying to finish the game, as the addictive battle system drew me in. It's too bad it did not include audio for every character in the game, but it is still an excellent title.
  42. Irohma
    Jul 16, 2012
    10
    Tales of Vesperia is perhaps one of the best RPGs of the current gen up to date and certainly one of teh best Tales games. The game in overall is a mechanically overhauled version of Tales of Abyss, with beautiful anime-style graphics, lots of contents, bits of changes in combat system, a huge plot that is good enough to grasp your attention, a nice cast, and more importantly, very deepTales of Vesperia is perhaps one of the best RPGs of the current gen up to date and certainly one of teh best Tales games. The game in overall is a mechanically overhauled version of Tales of Abyss, with beautiful anime-style graphics, lots of contents, bits of changes in combat system, a huge plot that is good enough to grasp your attention, a nice cast, and more importantly, very deep and fun sidequests to keep you playing for hours and hours. It's not as big as Tales of Abyss, but is certainly the RPG of this gen with the largest content even almost four years after its release.… Expand
  43. wesker2012
    Oct 6, 2013
    7
    Beautiful visuals, but I just couldn't get into this game. Played a good amount of hours, but it was more of a chore than fun to play. Plot was pretty slow and boring. And the constant enemy encounters really got on my nerves.
  44. Underpants158
    May 30, 2013
    7
    Tales of Vesperia is all around OK. The combat system is ok. The story is ok. The characters are ok. And the style of the graphics is..well, pretty good. I'll skip the combat system as it's not why i play these games and not why you should be playing them either.

    The story progresses slowly. So slowly and without a leading cause that I found myself forgetting what I was doing. It's your    Tales of Vesperia is all around OK. The combat system is ok. The story is ok. The characters are ok. And the style of the graphics is..well, pretty good. I'll skip the combat system as it's not why i play these games and not why you should be playing them either.

    The story progresses slowly. So slowly and without a leading cause that I found myself forgetting what I was doing. It's your typical "HIGH SCHOOL KIDS SAVE THE WORLD" JRPG and that is fine if only because it is to be expected. I won't get into the specifics other than that if you watched fox news you'd think it's hippie-left wing-tree huger propaganda. What my biggest complaint about the story is the big evil bad guy only shows face in the later portion of the game. He just comes on the scene and goes "IM GONNA DESTROY THE WORLD! TEENAGERS BE DAMNED!" It's very lackluster. No build up. No real desire to defeat him. I just found myself going through the motions and not giving a damn and the whole reason I play these games is to so I can give a damn. Damn not given.

    The characters! The main character is a beautiful dark haired girl with a sexy mans voice-kinda like Dr.Girlfriend from "The Venture Bros." Some people may say this character is a guy but "Yuri" is such an androgynous name that I feel perfectly justified in assuming he's a she. This Yuri believes that the law is not always right and breaking the law is not always wrong. He's rebellious wise ass. If he didn't look like a girl (and a pretty one at that) I may just taken him seriously. There is a book smart princess who is obliviously naive as she was sheltered her whole life. There's a child prodigy mage that is kinda like a female version of Sheldon Cooper from 'The Big Bang Theory." However she is not the star of the show and her and complaining isn't funny it's just... and complaining. Then there is a (14 year old?) boy with a gigantic sword that is street smart but at the same time is kind of a pansy. How does one get street smart without in the process growing balls? I do not know the answer to this question but he isn't very likable either. The complaint with the characters in this game is that they are just ok. I don't care about them and I don't care about what they are doing. In other words I am not giving a damn.

    I admit, I didn't finish the game. I really only know of the big bad boss because I looked up the plot summary after ten hours and realizing I'd rather not play the game anymore. I do give it a seven out of ten though because I know there is a crowd that aches for this stuff. The type of quirky that only the Japanese know how to do. And in reality it's not that bad of a game. I like JRPS. Suikoden III was one of my favorite games of all time but I just couldn't get into this one.    … Expand
  45. MisterNoodles
    Jul 26, 2013
    10
    Amazing! This game is one of favorites. Even with it's somewhat cliche storyline it is still one of the best JRPGs out due to having some of the best character development I have ever seen. With some great dialog that is pretty funny. The combat is fun an keeps you involved and quite brutal. There are many bosses that will rip you to shreds. I feel like many games don't do this and forAmazing! This game is one of favorites. Even with it's somewhat cliche storyline it is still one of the best JRPGs out due to having some of the best character development I have ever seen. With some great dialog that is pretty funny. The combat is fun an keeps you involved and quite brutal. There are many bosses that will rip you to shreds. I feel like many games don't do this and for that they suffer. The soundtrack is great and the environment is astounding. Graphics are nice and fit. I could on and on about this game, but I'll stop here so you can go and buy it. 10/10… Expand
  46. kebecritic
    Dec 25, 2014
    9
    Well played this game principally over a nine month period treating it as a kind of serial anime, which is kind of what it is. It accompanies you just as much as Assassin's Creed does only in a fictional and cutesy atmosphere with an attaching cast and memorably rendered enemies. Three types of art style seamlessly combined in ways which I sometimes would have to ask myself "Are theyWell played this game principally over a nine month period treating it as a kind of serial anime, which is kind of what it is. It accompanies you just as much as Assassin's Creed does only in a fictional and cutesy atmosphere with an attaching cast and memorably rendered enemies. Three types of art style seamlessly combined in ways which I sometimes would have to ask myself "Are they rendering in CGI NOW?"

    Yeah. Played Symphonia when it came out in Canada on the GameCube and played fifty hours straight over five days. The same type of devotion is required to play this game.    … Expand
  47. Tomaskovic93
    Apr 25, 2013
    7
    Very fun game, definitely worth buying. Combat is very well done AI is spot on. only problem is some cut scenes include voices but most of them don't. Very long game as well, story is quite confusing as they explain to you what everything in the world is only once and expect you to know it by heart from then on.
  48. Thelostpariah
    Jun 6, 2013
    7
    Vesperia feels like a great game that made a lot of mistakes. It's a seven, but just barely. To start with the bad, the plot is one of the worst I've ever played. It is disconjointed and I, as a player, don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything. Several times you will show up in a city/dungeon, complete it, and then find that the person/thing you went there to find had already gone orVesperia feels like a great game that made a lot of mistakes. It's a seven, but just barely. To start with the bad, the plot is one of the worst I've ever played. It is disconjointed and I, as a player, don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything. Several times you will show up in a city/dungeon, complete it, and then find that the person/thing you went there to find had already gone or escaped. There isn't a villain that I feel like I have an agenda against and the end game is full of pointless plot-twists that don't really mean anything. The game is also very long, which isn't bad, but it gets boring when the plot isn't interesting.
    There is still a lot of good, however. The characters are interesting and are easy to get connected to, even if they are cliche and unoriginal. The fight engine is also fantastic. There are a lot of the same battles, but they do well to stay fun and interesting. Also, you feel like you really progress throughout the game and get stronger. The characters grow as you do and that really helps the game. All in all, a very good game that is probably worth buying if you feel like putting the effort into it.    … Expand
  49. kendstryker
    Nov 6, 2013
    10
    The game is huge very artistic even though the effects is not that stunning but the HD anime textures and vibrant environment is incredible and is not seen often in most console RPG's it's very worth your time and it has a very high replayability since there are so many miss-able content in this game. The battle are a bit slow during the start but as your character grows in terms ofThe game is huge very artistic even though the effects is not that stunning but the HD anime textures and vibrant environment is incredible and is not seen often in most console RPG's it's very worth your time and it has a very high replayability since there are so many miss-able content in this game. The battle are a bit slow during the start but as your character grows in terms of skills and artes learned, doing combos on your enemies is very flashy and satisfying.… Expand
  50. dashantaozi
    Sep 7, 2018
    8
    It's your average tales of game, but Yuri is such a unique protagonist that he carried the entire story. Troy Baker's voice acting also contributes a lot.
  51. NexusTsunami
    Dec 29, 2015
    10
    Für mich das beste Tales of! Und ich habe viele gespielt (Phantasia, Destiny, Symphonia, Vesperia, Graces f, Xillia und Xillia 2). Nicht weil es in den anderen Spielen kein besseres Kampfsystem gibt (eigentlich ist es bei Tales of ohnehin immer gut), keine bessere Grafik, keine bessere Story oder OST. ToV ist einfach in ALLEN diesen Belangen belangen gut und solide, während einige andereFür mich das beste Tales of! Und ich habe viele gespielt (Phantasia, Destiny, Symphonia, Vesperia, Graces f, Xillia und Xillia 2). Nicht weil es in den anderen Spielen kein besseres Kampfsystem gibt (eigentlich ist es bei Tales of ohnehin immer gut), keine bessere Grafik, keine bessere Story oder OST. ToV ist einfach in ALLEN diesen Belangen belangen gut und solide, während einige andere Tales Spiele in irgendeinem Aspekt eingeknickt sind. Zum Vergleich: Phantasia - hakelige Steuerung. Symphonia - teils nervige Partymember. Destiny - siehe Phantasia. Graces f - keine Open World. Xillia 1/2: Keine Open World und zu kurz!

    Für mich ToV = Best Tales of :D    … Expand
  52. Manamaster
    Jun 7, 2016
    8
    The crystallization of all I loved from previous Tales games, like Tales of Symphonia and Tales of the Abyss, the combat system is refined and doesn't hold your hand, it is not that action focused as Tales of Graces, but slightly better than the system used in Xillia.
    The thing I disliked is that if the game had ended when the second act finished I would have been satisfied with the game,    The crystallization of all I loved from previous Tales games, like Tales of Symphonia and Tales of the Abyss, the combat system is refined and doesn't hold your hand, it is not that action focused as Tales of Graces, but slightly better than the system used in Xillia.
    The thing I disliked is that if the game had ended when the second act finished I would have been satisfied with the game, because the ending is something I didn't like, it felt rushed, yet, I would recommend this game for everything in between.    … Expand
  53. RPGBuff
    May 22, 2017
    9
    Xbox hasn't always been the most fair platform to JRPGs, since AAA RPGs like Lost Odyssey are rated in the 7s when they are in actuality 9s and 10s. That said, you should certainly pick up Tales of Vesperia if what you want is a beautiful story, and are not interested in just non stop action all the time. This is a perfect way to break away from the action of a heavy multiplayer session,Xbox hasn't always been the most fair platform to JRPGs, since AAA RPGs like Lost Odyssey are rated in the 7s when they are in actuality 9s and 10s. That said, you should certainly pick up Tales of Vesperia if what you want is a beautiful story, and are not interested in just non stop action all the time. This is a perfect way to break away from the action of a heavy multiplayer session, as it offers an awesome story, great visuals and amazing characters. Likewise it is relatively low cost. While there, give Infinite Undiscovery a try as well since you can ride a giant sea faring ship. Vesperia also has some of the most memorable protagonists and a large airship: So make sure to give this a good go. Easily ranks among the best RPGs of all time.… Expand
  54. Sressiv
    Mar 5, 2018
    9
    This is the best Tales of-game I have ever played. This game made me laugh, feel bad, feel excited, and motivated to keep playing the whole time. The characters are very nice, the story is good, and the gameplay and battle system are fantastic. English voice acting is very well done. The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, just like in every Tales of-game. This is one of the best games IThis is the best Tales of-game I have ever played. This game made me laugh, feel bad, feel excited, and motivated to keep playing the whole time. The characters are very nice, the story is good, and the gameplay and battle system are fantastic. English voice acting is very well done. The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, just like in every Tales of-game. This is one of the best games I have ever played, so I really recommend it, it's so worth it. Amazing. Can't say that enough.… Expand
  55. auditbadger
    Sep 26, 2018
    8
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  56. rachillustrate
    May 14, 2018
    10
    Tales of Vesperia is my favorite installment of the Tales series, which is also one of my all-time favorite franchises. Even after hours and hours of combat, I always find the battle system extremely fun and rewarding. Your team members are hilarious and some of the most memorable in the franchise. Additionally, Yuri serves as one of the most original and realistic “heroes” I’ve everTales of Vesperia is my favorite installment of the Tales series, which is also one of my all-time favorite franchises. Even after hours and hours of combat, I always find the battle system extremely fun and rewarding. Your team members are hilarious and some of the most memorable in the franchise. Additionally, Yuri serves as one of the most original and realistic “heroes” I’ve ever played.

    The story takes some unexpected turns and keeps the plot moving and interesting, which can be difficult to achieve in a JRPG. The optional skits within Tales games also add a great way to spend more time with your party and enjoy the journey that much more.    … Expand
  57. Jmart8
    Jun 21, 2020
    8
    As an action RPG fan this was my first tales of game and I do not regret it at all. Not many games have made me inmediately replay it after I finish them and this is one of them. A bit of an odd fighting mechanics which had to grow on me and still is that one improvement for me to give it a 10/10 because for the rest it's just absolutely amazing. Deep character creation and developmentAs an action RPG fan this was my first tales of game and I do not regret it at all. Not many games have made me inmediately replay it after I finish them and this is one of them. A bit of an odd fighting mechanics which had to grow on me and still is that one improvement for me to give it a 10/10 because for the rest it's just absolutely amazing. Deep character creation and development makes you care for them, intriguing and interrsting story, small details everywhere, very long game. Of you are looking for a great game simillar to a Zelda BOTW, or Ni No Kuni 1 and 2, this franchise is up your alley… Expand
  58. Overprogi
    Oct 15, 2020
    10
    This is definitely my favorite Japanese game!

    I played a lot of Japanese games, but only the mission of this game can keep me from forgetting for a long time-they have distinctive features, full character background, and reasonable behavior. Each of them is lovely and real. In addition, music and art also surprised me very much. The plot of the game is rather mediocre in comparison.    This is definitely my favorite Japanese game!

    I played a lot of Japanese games, but only the mission of this game can keep me from forgetting for a long time-they have distinctive features, full character background, and reasonable behavior. Each of them is lovely and real.
    In addition, music and art also surprised me very much. The plot of the game is rather mediocre in comparison. The combat system is its charm, but there are also some unreasonable points, such as the locking system. No matter what, I love this game~    … Expand
  59. Killerbe3
    Nov 23, 2021
    2
    I enjoyed almost everything. And I gotta say that the protagonist is really one of the most loveable. Video game characters out there. But the skits ruined EVERYTHING. TOO MANY dialouges. Story was all over the place. Hopefully they learn from their mistakes here. Big potential, wasted by insanely loooooooong skits. Easy 2/10. Could've gave it a 1 if it wasn't for Judith. AVOID THIS GAME
  60. tonberry_ftw
    Jun 25, 2023
    7
    My favorite tales series. Was very fun until a piece of garbage called Sodia appears and keeps ruining the plot

Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
29
#29 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
15
#15 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 67 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 67
  3. Negative: 0 out of 67
  1. Official Xbox Magazine
    85
    Incredibly satisfying. [Oct 2008, p.82]
    Read full review
  2. Hardcore Gamer
    80
    The graphics are stunning, the characters are interesting and the game is simply really fun to play.
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    82
    Tales of Vesperia is a strong anime-style Japanese RPG with a wide-ranging story, compelling characters and an intense real-time battle system that keeps you on your toes.
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