Tales
Latest
Bandai-Namco E3 2019 leak reveals 'Tales,' George R.R. Martin games
E3 2019 is almost about to get rolling, but there's time for at least one more pre-show leak. Several games from publisher Bandai-Namco have apparently leaked out due to a flaw on the company's website. Those include a From Software (Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro) collaboration with George R.R. Martin, titled Elden Ring, coming to PS4, Xbox One and PC. There isn't much confirmed beyond the name and the logo at this time other than that it's an action-RPG, although Martin discussed a game he'd consulted on in a blog post after the Game of Thrones series finale aired. Screenshots revealed more of another game, Tales of Arise, an Unreal Engine 4-powered entry in the Tales series of RPGs. Meanwhile, Gematsu mentions information on a re-release of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch for Switch (above), with a remastered version packing improved graphics coming to PS4 and Switch. We'll find out what's really coming out, and where it's headed, over the next few days as things get rolling in LA. The show floor doesn't officially open until Tuesday, but our first event of the show begins with EA Play at around noon ET Saturday.
Tales of Asteria announced for iOS, Android devices
Tales fans have Tales of Zestiria and Tales of Xilia 2 to look forward to, but those aren't likely to pull several Tales protagonists into one game. Tales of Asteria is, though! Bandai Namco has announced the mobile-oriented RPG with a spring release on iOS and Android devices planned for Japan. Visiting Asteria's promotional site shows some familiar faces - Lloyd, Milla, Yuri, Luke, Sophie and Cress are all accounted for. Gematsu's report states that Asteria will feature voice acting and a "cross slide" battle system. Gematsu's translation adds that the story will involve "fragments of a star that [make] wishes come true." Unsurprisingly, Asteria's inhabitants seem eager to fight over magical, wish-granting star bits, which brings in the six protagonists to solve the problem. Each hero is brandishing their own glowing object on the site's home page - we suppose stealing the star fragments for themselves could be a possible solution to the world of Asteria's conflict! Or ... you know, a great way for them to make a lot of new enemies. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Chaos Theory: Nine reasons The Secret World is the industry's best storyteller
Contrary to what I sometimes see in the MMO community, I am a huge believer in games telling stories. If a game lets me create my own story, great, but even better are developers who know how to spin a good yarn and involve me in the process. That's why I've loved adventure and role-playing games throughout the decades, and it's why The Secret World has remained one of my top MMOs since it launched. I don't have a problem saying that I think The Secret World is currently the industry's best storyteller. If you want to take a cheap shot, you can insert some snide remark about rote quest text boxes in the comments, but I think that there's a lot of solid writing and storytelling across the MMO spectrum right now. It's just that TSW does it better. Why? What's going on here to make stories and characters that just stick in my head long after my brain has cycled other MMO's events to deep storage? I started writing a list and had a hard time stopping at just nine.
The Daily Grind: What tale do you like to tell?
Everyone has a story. If you play MMOs, chances are you have many of them and you like to tell a few choice ones from time to time. Today, I'm inviting you to do so. One of my favorite stories comes from The Burning Crusade era in World of Warcraft. I played a Druid, and one day my guildmate Val was auto-following me to a dungeon while she was eating some dinner at the keyboard. Well, I couldn't resist tweaking her, so I juked quickly and jumped off a cliff, taking her character with me. My Druid shape-shifted into flight form instantly while Val went splatty-splat, with screams and laughter and curses pouring out of Vent at me. So what tale do you like to tell? Let's hear it today! Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Tales producer: no plans for Xbox One, PS4, Wii U
Now that Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have all showed their hands, is the Tales series, which has seen several entries across this generation, making the next-gen jump anytime soon? Not according to Tales producer Hideo Baba, who told Joystiq that he doesn't have any current plans for the JRPG series on next-gen consoles. That's chiefly because he wants to release entries on the console most fans "want to play on." That, in his view, is the PS3. "Compared to the existing consoles like the Xbox 360 or PS3, the PS4 and Xbox One have much improved CPU, GPU, and memory," Baba told us, "So I think they [have] more potential, especially with visual effects. I'm afraid I don't have any plans to release for titles for the Xbox One or PS4, because my policy is to release Tales titles to the console which most of the fans want to play on." When asked about the Wii U, Baba said "Same as the Xbox One and PS4, I don't have any plans to release titles for the Wii U." Baba announced Tales of Symphonia Chronicles last week - a few days after quashing rumors of it as speculation. The HD bundle of Symphonia and Dawn of the New World is due in North America in early 2014, and is coming to the PS3. Speaking to Spong, Baba revealed he still sees the PS3 as the key console for the Tales series at present. "The reason why Xillia was released only on PS3 was because that is the console where most of the users want to play Tales games," Baba told Spong. "When more and more users decide to buy a PS4 and want the Tales series on that platform, that will be when we re-assess things."
Tales of Graces F review: Comfort food
When I was but a wee nerdling, I had an unhealthy obsession with Brian Jacques' Redwall book series. While other children frolicked in parks or used superior numbers to overwhelm prey or whatever normal children do, I dreamed of talking mouse-people and magic swords the size of thumbtacks. Over time, however, even Child-Me realized that I was basically being asked to pony up for slightly different spins on the same swords 'n' sorcery 'n' rodents-for-some-reason story. Same journey progression, same character archetypes, same pervasive message that badgers are the Best Animal, etc. But I read, like, 14 of the things, because they were comfortable -- the literary equivalent of a hug or that Snuggie no one knows you own.Namco Bandai's Tales series hedges its bets on a taking up a similar role in the lives of its fans. Tales of Graces F doesn't reinvent any wheels or cure Japanese RPG characters of their tragic case of radioactive bedhead, but it's an especially strong showing from a series that knows how to make you instantly feel right at home.%Gallery-150837%
Namco's Tales series going on a browser-based 'Dice Adventure'
If you are enthralled by the addictive world of high-stakes gambling and the even-more-addictive world of social games, Namco Bandai has a soul-crushingly-addictive announcement for you. According to Siliconera, the publisher's Tales series of role-playing games is making the jump to the free-to-play browser-based realm with Tales of the World: Dice Adventure. The game, which will hit Japanese browsers next Spring, will let players team up with characters from the prolific Tales series, assumedly entering into games of chance using numbered cubes. (Or numbered Icosahedrons, if they go the Dungeons and Dragons route.) Little else is known about the title -- until Namco reveals more information, the whole thing is going to be a crapshoot.
The Soapbox: The battle for story
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. When I was in grad school, one of my favorite classes spent a couple of sessions talking about the use and importance of story in teaching. It opened my eyes to the fact that stories are one of the most universal elements of the human experience, from antiquity to modern times, ranging from a little kid playing with toys to an adult penning a novel. We simply love to tell and listen to stories -- they grab our attention, spark our imagination, teach us valuable lessons, and create lasting memories. But somewhere along the years, something went horribly wrong when it came to MMOs and stories. MMOs were always supposed to be the ultimate platform for storytelling, as both developers and players could pitch in to weave epic sagas, and for a while that seemed to be the case. Lately, however, I've seen a movement that is thrashing hard against stories in MMOs, typically using one of the following two statements: "Get your stupid story out of my game!" or "Stories are better left to other forms of entertainment." It's made me a sad panda to realize that MMO storytelling is under attack by the very players who should embrace it, and often they're acting as if they're being dragged, kicking and screaming, into future MMOs where story is placed as a priority. Make no mistake: The battle for story is on, and the stakes have never been higher.
Tales series spinning off onto Mobage
Namco Bandai is already comfortable spreading the Tales series out across multiple platforms, including cell phones, which have received numerous ports of the RPG series and even original games. The latest phone service to have the honor of a new Tales is the smartphone social networking service Mobage, for which Namco is preparing "Tales of Kizna." Kizna (a creative spelling of "kizuna," meaning "bonds") features over 100 characters from past Tales games as cards, who can be arranged into parties for battle. Players will be able to form guilds in order to pool their parties and take on bigger enemies. While Japanese mobile games -- and most Tales games -- are stuck in Japan forever, there's an outside chance we could see this one eventually, as DeNA has launched a Western version of the Mobage network.
Tales of the Abyss receiving 3DS port
2005's PS2 RPG Tales of the Abyss is getting a second life on the 3DS. Namco Bandai has announced a port for Nintendo's new handheld, though other than a 2011 release date, no other details have been revealed. The first batch of screens look (predictably) like the PS2 original.
Namco Bandai recalls buggy Tales of Graces
Namco Bandai has issued a recall notice for copies of Tales of Graces, the Wii Tales RPG released in Japan on December 10. In the announcement, the publisher listed all of the bugs it hopes to address with replacement discs, mostly occurring in "New Game +" replays. Apparently, certain enemies, team conversations, and even key items may not appear in subsequent playthroughs. In addition, bugs in shops can randomly change the types and numbers of items in player possession, and pausing during cutscenes may result in other item glitches. Namco promises that all of these issues will be addressed in the updated discs, and that players' save files will remain compatible. Users need only send in their discs, and not the whole Wii bundle. [Via Kotaku]
Tales of Graces bundle is underwhelming
Game Watch has posted an image of the full contents of the Japanese Tales of Graces bundle, revealing ... that it's pretty much the least remarkable Wii bundle yet. The included Wii hardware is the plain white model, and the Classic Controller Pro (also white) doesn't have any fancy design on it. It's just a Wii, and a Classic Controller Pro, and the game. In a box. The box looks pretty cool, we suppose. And it's not like we have the Classic Controller Pro here at all. New screens show off the rather silly swimsuit costumes that can be equipped in-game, including a delightful Speedo and life vest outfit for Malik. More dignified: a costume based on a stage outfit worn by singer BoA, available as a bonus with a "Tales of Graces Edition" release of BoA's single "Mamoritai ~ White Wishes ~."
Tales of Vesperia voice actor says game is coming to Wii [update: Oops! He meant Tales of Graces!]
[Update: Abyssal Chronicles has updated their story, reporting that Mr. Koyama has updated his original blog post with the following clarification: "When I mentioned being on sale for the Wii, I meant Tales of Graces, and not Tales of Vesperia! I truly apologize to everyone for the misunderstanding!!!!" Well, we can see how that would be confusing. You'll find our original post below.] Lock the doors and board up the windows, folks. Considering the seismic backlash to the announcement that the (formerly) 360-exclusive Tales of Vesperia would be coming to the PS3, we fear for what might happen when this story gets out. Japanese voice actor Rikiya Koyama, who provided the voice for Vesperia's pseudo-antagonist Duke, recently mentioned on his blog that, "Tales of Vesperia is coming out on one thing after another: Xbox 360, then PS3, and now upcoming, goes on sale even on the Wii." While this may deeply excite RPG-loving Wii owners, keep in mind that it's entirely possible Koyama meant to say Tales of Graces, the franchise's next installment which is, in fact, coming to the Wii. Just think about that before you start snapping the pieces of your already-snapped 360 Vesperia disc in protest. Those edges can get pretty sharp. [Via Kotaku]
Tales of Vesperia costumes offered as a Tales of Graces pre-order bonus
If Xbox gamers feel betrayed enough to destroy their discs and burn magazines over the PS3 port of Tales of Vesperia, how are they going to react to news that costumes from Vesperia are also no longer exclusive, appearing in the Wii's Tales of Graces? Will they stand for this minor outrage?Given away as a download code on a pre-order bonus DVD, the costumes enable players to dress Aspel, Sophie, and Cheria as Yuri, Patty, and Rita. Look forward to some angry message board posts featuring a spurned gamer giving a ruthless thumbprint to his Xbox disc, or throwing it straight in the garbage, then pulling it out and cleaning it.[Via Andriasang]
Tales trailers: Vesperia on PS3, VS on PSP
As long as you promise not to break or burn anything, we'll allow you to view these video clips of Tales of Vesperia PS3 and the PSP-exclusive Tales of VS. Above, you'll find a Japanese trailer for Vesperia. It features the all-new pirate character, Patty. After the break is a trailer for Tales of VS, which is very much like Dissidia: Final Fantasy in the sense that both are cameo-based fighters. VS gathers 35 characters from across the Tales series. Popular personalities such as Yuri, Luke, Richter and Shing are all confirmed. Also, you may have noticed that the trailer was entirely done in English. What could that mean, if anything? Tales of Vesperia and Tales of VS are scheduled for Japanese releases in autumn and summer 2009, respectively.
Tales of Graces and/or awesome walking tank things
The first trailer for Namco Bandai's Tales of Graces reveals a game with a simple but nice art style and a beautiful color palette. As soft music plays, we see rolling green hills, lovely blue skies, and some kind of stone structure with an ornate entrance. And then ... awesome robot tank things with spider legs! You'd better run away, generic anime-style JRPG protagonists!Unfortunately, the trailer goes on to show that we'll be controlling the spindly kids in combat and not the cool tank things. But at least the real-time combat looks fun, even if light on robots.
Japanese gamer breaks disc, burns magazine article over Vesperia PS3 port
Perhaps "Tales of Rage" is a more suitable title for Tales of Vesperia on PS3, as fan reaction to the enhanced port hasn't gone over well. Fans of the series in Japan are livid at the announcement, seeing as many of these gamers bought systems just to play the formerly 360-exclusive game. In one case, a fan was so angry he snapped his game disc in half (... subconsciously telling himself he has a reason to pick it up again) and burned the PS3 announcement article.While we feel sorry for such angered gamers, we do believe they should have known better. After all, the game was previously teased to appear on PS3 by Namco Bandai itself. Just couldn't wait, huh? No wonder they say patience is a virtue.[Via Kotaku]
Tales of Vesperia movie confirmed, prequel to the game
Oh, Namco Bandai, you sneaky sneaky publisher. You hold an entire press conference in Tokyo and wait all the way until the very end to sneak in an official confirmation of the Tales of Vesperia movie, titled "Tales of Vesperia: First Strike." Oh, and what's that? It's a prequel to the game featuring "Yuri and Flynn's days together among the Zaphian Knights?" We're sorry, you're just going to have to do better than that. Oooh, you say it's being developed by I.G. Productions, the company that worked on previous film adaptations of various Tales games in the past? Keep talking. Seasoned animator Kanta Kamei, known not only for his work on Tales of Legendia but also as the visual supervisor for the animated segment in "Kill Bill Vol. 1" is directing it, eh? Well that certainly helps.When "First Strike" releases in Japan "sometime later this year," it'd better be good! We'll let you off the hook this time -- but only this time.[Via 1UP]
Goodness gracious! Tales of Graces announced for Wii
Two Tales announcements not enough for you? Good, because Namco Bandai has one more ace up its sleeve. The next "real" Tales game has a home, and it's Nintendo Wii. Tales of Graces doesn't stray far from previous Tales games, with its cel-shaded environments and real-time action RPG battle sytem. According to Kombo, the theme of this new adventure is "protecting people." Guess this isn't the M-rated anti-hero Tales game we've all been waiting for.The game is currently planned for Winter release in Japan. Considering this is a main entry in the series, we're confident Namco Bandai will also announce plans for a US release. Watch an early teaser after the break.
Tales of Vesperia coming to PS3, Tales of VS for PSP
Like you didn't see this one coming. Namco Bandai has finally announced a PS3 version of Tales of Vesperia. The game's exclusivity to Xbox 360 was always questioned, especially after a few noteworthy slip-ups on Namco Bandai's part. Like Eternal Sonata before it, the upcoming PS3 version of Vesperia will be enhanced over the original. Details are scarce for now, but the game will feature at least one new character. Japan will receive the enhanced port later this year.In addition to Vesperia, the Japanese magazine debuted another Tales game for the PlayStation systems. Tales of VS, a PSP-exclusive that looks to be Namco Bandai's attempt at a Dissidia clone. The screens showcase characters from a number of Tales games brawling in a 3D environment, and indicate that VS looks to outdo Square Enix's fighter by offering support for up to four characters. As long as games like VS continue to be announced, it looks as though PSP is going to have another monster year in Japan.[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
