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The Namco gang
Tales of Graces f Remastered from developer Namco Tales Studio is a comprehensive modern update of one of the most interesting entries in the long-running series over the past two decades.
Originally released only in Japan in 2009 before the PlayStation 3 version was localized to English in 2012, Tales of Graces is the 12th installment in the overarching Tales series.
Aside from that weird, well, story, Graces has long been known as a record that ranks close in popularity to Tales of Symphonia.
As it happens, it's also well known for having one of the best combat systems in the entire series – but one of the more poignant stories.
A remaster, not a remake, Graces will still have some of those flaws, so what else gets updated and how will determine if it can be a big success.
Visually, Graces registers as impressive, given the original effort that went into the console generations on the Nintendo Wii and PS3.
Updates to suit modern power consoles truly enhance the anime-style characters and colorful world. Brand new additions seem few and far between, but are noticeable, such as character models that seem more emotional during cutscenes.
As always in the Tales series, a strong soundtrack supports the drama and action. It's also always nice to hear character sketches that are fully fleshed out—something that's hit or miss to be in JRPGs at all.
Keep in mind that the world map and connection areas are very linear in nature, so potential players need to set expectations on that side of things. This is by no means an open world JRPG and this remaster doesn't change the formula, which some might argue is for the better.
The game's HUD has also been updated to include objective markers, providing a bit of must-have modernization.
Combat, however, is where Graces still shines the most.
This is very much an action RPG that encourages players to think quickly. Common series like Assault or Burst Artes are in the game, yes. But instead of an ever-depleting pool of points, players can replenish the CC meter through rest. This actually encourages strategic decisions live on a time basis for success.
This means thinking ahead in real time. In most JRPGs, players can spam abilities, then imbibe a bunch of stamina potions or mana refills and such, and be right back at it.
Here, players have to plan moves and also have to block or otherwise avoid damage, all while keeping an eye on the CC meter and when to reduce. Note that fortunately, players can also switch between all four party members.
It goes a little further than that. Different challenges will appear before the battles. There are also small, quiet wrinkles in the system, such as weaknesses to exploit and CC bonuses when dodging.
Adding complexity to support the action, Graces relies heavily on the “title” system like other JRPGs. Equipping them can change or unlock different Artes that can be unlocked. There are a frightening number of them for each character, so mixing and matching yields interesting results, both for short-term battles and for the long-term perspective of gameplay.
Although a little intimidating at first, it doesn't take long to see why Graces gets so much praise for its combat system. Just be aware that it's a slow starter and doesn't show its true fun factor right away.
Narratively, Graces is as weird now as it was when it was first released – the story may be dizzying in all the expected ways, but the characters are fantastic.
Players take on the role of Asbel Lhant, a plot point of a girl with amnesia againplus kingdoms and political intrigue, as usual. It's not badbut the story is mostly fodder.
While there are a handful of played-out tropes and/or clichés (mind you, 2009 was the initial release), the game does a fantastic job of fleshing out characters, motivations, and relationships in the voiceover skits that can occur between cities and such.
There aren't a ton of side quests to take players off course, which adds to the aforementioned linearity, but there are some interesting systems at work. That's not to say it's not worth poking around to discover extra skits and the like, but it feels kind of linear by modern standards.
Notably, players have the option to turn off combat encounters and focus strictly on story and exploration, which is a nice touch that more games in this genre should probably look at and consider.
In fact, the game is full of little JRPGs that can have big impacts, such as a cooking mini-game with quite a bit of depth that leads to specific stat bonuses. It's a similar story for the included crafting system as well as upgrade paths.
The Grade Shop also returns and is unlocked from the start. This offers interesting game modifiers unlike the cheat codes of the day. The one that increases a character's movement speed is a good example—and it's so great to have.
In terms of style and content, Graces obviously works well on modern consoles despite the upgrades it has received. And the list of options tucked into the menus is a powerful looking package. Longtime players will also be happy to hear that all of the DLC from the original is included in the base offering here.
It's extremely difficult for a JRPG to stand out right now, given the genre's mini-golden era.
However, Graces had an edge on the competition by being able to endure decades of releases and still remain a beloved figure in one of the most popular series to date.
As such, Graces is hopefully a sign of things to come for remasters in the series. It improves the visuals and adds some subtle modernization that makes it worthwhile, but also keeps the essential spirit of the experience intact.
Graces, then, is by far the best way to experience the game, especially for new players interested in the genre or series. For anyone who enjoyed the original, this was abundantly clear from its release.
