Tales
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PS3 Tales game appears, then disappears, on Namco site
The official Japanese portal for the Tales series of games was recently updated with the newly announced DS and PSP Tales games. The site allows navigation by platform, and for a brief moment, PS3 was an available option. Since then, the site has been updated and PS3 can no longer be seen.This isn't the first time Namco Bandai has teased (accidentally, or not) a PS3 Tales game. Recently, Famitsu has reported that PS3 will receive some kind of Tales game. But will it be a port of the currently 360-exclusive Tales of Vesperia game ... or will it be something different altogether?[Thanks, Cagalli! Via PS3Forums]
Tiny screens from Tales of Hearts get our blood pumping
We already showed you a snippet of the Shonen Jump scans for Tales of Hearts, but Gamekyo recently added more, this time showing off some enticing (albeit tiny) screens. Like some of you, we're trying not to put our hearts into Tales of Hearts, just because we don't want them broken if the game doesn't get localized. Normally we're localization optimists, but after Namco Bandai decided to work on the Wii's Tales of Symphonia as well as the 360's Tales of Vesperia, but not the DS's Tales of Innocence, we've been a little bitter. We won't even mention our still stinging wounds over Tales of the Tempest, even if it wasn't too well recieved -- except that we just did. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: if any system deserves catering to niche audiences, it's the DS.Rant aside, enjoy the lovely screens! We'll just be out back, crying softly to ourselves.
A hearty addition to the Tales series
Not one, but two amazing RPG announcements have been made for the DS this morning. First up, a timeless masterpiece of epic proportions -- second, a brand-new addition to the acclaimed Tales series. We could go on about what we prefer, but it really doesn't matter. Life is good.Tales of Hearts has been scanned from Shonen Jump and shipped over the intertrons for your viewing enjoyment. The image is skint on details, but two characters make an apperance in anime and real ... human form. The release is scheduled near the end of the year -- just hope it makes it to America, unlike another awesome game.[Thanks, Shawn!]
Famitsu hints at a PS3 Tales game
Upset that Tales of Vesperia is an Xbox 360 exclusive? Don't fret, it appears that PS3 may be getting its own Tales game -- and it may or may not be a console-exclusive. This page from Famitsu highlights the Wii-exclusive Tales of Symphonia title and the 360-exclusive Tales of Vesperia. However, it also leaves a box blank for the PS3. The famed Japanese magazine clearly knows what's in the works, but is simply teasing us RPG-starved fans.
Watch some Tales of Vesperia in Japanese
As we wait for the Tales of Vesperia demo to cross the Pacific and wash up on our shores (having lost its memory and clutching onto one clue from its past), we'll take the time to check out some Japanese videos of the game. Although proficient Xbox 360 users can grab the demo off the Asian marketplace now -- and it's even in English -- we region-abiding folks will just have to get our fix this way. Both Tales of Vesperia videos can be found after the break. One shows off the game's battle system, which looks like old-school Tales of combat meets Eternal Sonata, while the other clip appears to show off the game's next-gen yammering mechanic.
Tales of Vesperia gets demo on Xbox Live
We're not sure what a "Vesperia" is, exactly. We suspect it's either a topical cream which has sinus cleansing vapors, or some manner of ornate doily. If that's the sort of thing you'd like to hear some tales about, you're in luck, as the demo for Namco Bandai's cel-shaded RPG, Tales of Vesperia, has just arrived on Xbox Live. Yes, Namco told us that a demo was coming this month, so it's not exactly earth-shattering news, but we find great comfort in things panning out the way we've been told they would. As per our usual agreement, let us know what you think of the demo in the comments. Gallery: Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Vesperia slated for August release, demo on the way
At the same Japanese press conference which saw the unveiling of the Xbox 360's Last Hope, Namco Bandai announced a release date for its cel-shaded Xbox 360 RPG, Tales of Vesperia. According to IGN's liveblog of the event, the magnificently colorful, blue-sky adventure will hit Japan (in a premium console bundle) on August 7th, with versions you can understand arriving in the same month. A European release is currently planned for 2009. Namco Bandai also noted that a demo is scheduled to become available on Xbox Live sometime in June -- judging by the publisher's previous RPG teaser, it shouldn't be confined to the Japanese marketplace for very long, if at all. %Gallery-17071%
Pictures of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
More delightful media has emerged from the Namco Bandai Editors' Day event! We've updated our gallery with new English screens (and a few inexplicable Japanese screens) of Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.The latest game in Namco Bandai's milked-to-death RPG series (though the relative milked-ness of the Tales name may not have any bearing on the quality of this game!) features a new twist in the form of 200 unique monsters, all of whom can (and, perhaps, gotta) be caught. You can swap out monster party members and alter their stats with various foods.Dawn of the New World will dawn on the shelves this fall.%Gallery-5354%
Namco not spinning any Tales outside of Japan
In speaking with Cubed3, Hideo Baba-san from Namco has presented those of us not lucky enough to reside in the gaming capital of the world with some grim news: Tales of Innocence, the latest DS entry in the Tales series of games, won't be leaving Japan. At least, for now, as Namco has no plans to localize the game for other territories. This all comes from an interview which is set to run later this week on Cubed3.What's odd, though, is that they would choose to bring a Wii title and Xbox 360 game to the U.S., yet would completely ignore the DS. It's just ... it's just, well ... odd. We just don't know how else to put it.
Tales of Vesperia scans from Famitsu
The upcoming, Xbox 360 exclusive, Tales of Vesperia has had a standard position in Japan's popular gaming publication Famitsu since it was first announced. Gamersyde offered up scans of this week's issue that details the beautiful visuals of the next step in the popular role-playing game franchise. As we reported last month, Tales of Vesperia is currently slated for release exclusively on the Xbox 360 but could eventually see life on the PlayStation 3. The game is set for release in 2009 in both 2008 in Japan and is rumored to hit sometime in 2009 Stateside, details of a European release have yet to be released but gamers should expect a release sometime in 2009 as well.Update: Namco Bandai is confirming the title is scheduled for a 2008 release in Japan.
Namco chases Tales to North America for Wii, Xbox 360
Namco's Tales RPG series is a lot like the bus -- if you miss one, just wait a moment and another will be around shortly. The series, which got its start back in 1995 with Tales of Phantasia for the SNES, is now set to get two new entries as Namco Bandai announced plans to localize both Tales of Vesperia (pictured) for the Xbox 360 and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World for the Wii later this year. While Vesperia was first announced during Tokyo's Jump Festa event last December, the game's console destination had been something of a question mark until now. The game, which marks the franchise's first entry on Microsoft's console, will feature character designs by series stalwart Kosuke Fujishima of Oh My Goddess! and Gungrave fame, and promises "significant additions" to the series' action-heavy combat, a facet that has been Tale's defining feature since hit met points. For those with a taste for nostalgia, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World will take place two years after the GameCube original, whisking Wii owners away on a journey wrought with discovery, old friends, and what we're sure will be plenty of waggle. There's also talk of being able to "recruit" more than 200 different monsters, no doubt pleasing those harboring an incessant need to "catch 'em all." %Gallery-17070% %Gallery-17071%
Tales of Rebirth official website updated with new screenshots
The official Japanese website for Tales of Rebirth has been updated with more screenshots. Judging by what we see, the former PS2 game is transforming smoothly into a PSP game.As the Japanese release of Tales of Rebirth is just a little under a month away, it can be expected there will be even more to check out on the official website in the coming weeks. We still haven't heard of a North American announcement yet, or any plans of bringing the game anywhere outside Japan for that matter. What does that mean for us non-Japanese? It's just one more game to fuel our bitter jealousy. [Via PSPHyper]
Animal-things of Symphonia
Two "Centurion Spirits of Ratatoskr," some kind of spiritual protectors, will join your party in Tales of Symphonia: Knights of Ratatoskr. The first is a grey, sort of feline Pokémon-looking creature called Tenebrae who works with the power of darkness, and is responsible for protagonist Emil's status as a Knight of Ratatosk. The second is a cat-child-thing called Aqua, who is unsurprisingly expert with water-based abilities. Aqua works with party member Richter.We can't quite determine if the attachment between these Centurions and party members means that they'll be relegated to a support role or if they're in the party. We think a big magical cat-monster would be a pretty good asset on the team.
The Tales of Vesperia trailer, destination console unknown
First unveiled at Jump Festa last week, Tales of Vesperia is the latest entry in Namco's long running "Tales" series. Following up on that announcement, the above trailer was released today but, since our Japanese is pretty rusty (read: non-existent), we'll concentrate on what we did notice: there's no console listed. While they're not naming a destination console for the title – the last three were released for PS2 – the meta tags on the official site originally listed "Xbox 360." Though they've since removed that reference, we suspect we could be seeing a cross-platform Tales game. [Thanks, Torin]
Tales of optional black outlines
The Tales of Innocence developer blog shows a new graphical feature for the game that will allow people to alter its appearance to their preference. At least, in one aspect. You'll have the option to add black outlines to the hero and monster models, giving the game more of a cel-shaded look. Or you could choose not to!Black outlines certainly make everything look crisper, but in doing so they could expose you to deadly jaggies. Either way, the game seems to look nice for DS 3D. And it's certainly kind of them to provide options like this, which can change the whole style of the game.[Via NeoGAF]
Japan gets new Tales game
For those of you familiar with the Tales series of games (no doubt you played Tales of Symphonia on the Gamecube?), the DS is set to receive one of the franchise's entries. Tales of Innocence, which is a brand new entry in the series, is currently set to grace the DS in Japan this winter. No word as of right now on when the game will release or if it will be made available in other territories, however since most of the games in the series have made their way to North America, we're fairly confident the game will make its way here.[Via Joystiq]
New Tales coming to PS2, PSP, Wii and DS in Japan
By way of Japanese blog Gemaga comes the news from Namco that four new games in the Tales series are headed to Japan. First off, prepare for the subways and buses of Tokyo to soon be filled with the sounds of a new original title for the DS, Tales of Innocence, due in Japan this winter. PS2 owners will get a title based on Tales of Destiny and Wii owners will waggle through a game based on Tales of Symphonia. We're assuming these will be sequels or at least significantly different, as ToD was released for PS2 already in 2006 and ToS is available on GameCube.Japaese PSPs will be getting a port of Tales of Rebirth, released for the PS2 in Japan in 2004. The newly wide-screen game is set to release in early 2008. We have no idea if you'll ever play any of these outside of Japan, but Tales games have been fairly consistent about coming to North America, so we'll keep our fingers crossed.
Tales of Rebirth port heading to PSP
PSP is getting yet another Tales RPG. However, unlike Tales of the World, the newly announced title is yet another PS2 port. Tales of Rebirth is based on the 2004 RPG for the PlayStation 2, and will feature newly enhanced widescreen graphics and a gallery mode.[Via PSPHyper]
A radiant montage of Tales of the World
Namco's upcoming fanservice-filled RPG Tales of the World is hitting PSPs soon, and Gametrailers has posted a new montage video, featuring the anime intro and various battles to be found in the game. It looks sharp, as expected, but we're wondering: where's our j-poppin' intro? We're hoping it's not axed for the US version.
PSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 19
PSP Fanboy offers the latest and greatest movie and game trailers, formatted for the PSP in this new weekly feature. Check it out every Saturday. PSP owners can download files wirelessly via m.pspfanboy.com.Instructions: Save all movie and thumbnail files to the VIDEO folder. These high resolution 480x272 videos require firmware 3.30 or above. (Note: OE custom firmware will also play these videos.) Tales of the World [PSP]Video 1: Download MP4 (3.3MB) | Download JPGVideo 2: Download MP4 (3.9MB) | Download JPG The following videos are featured after the break: Bug, Good Luck Chuck, Duck, MLB 07 The Show (PS3)
