Tales of Berseria
| Tales of Berseria | |
|---|---|
 Cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Bandai Namco Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Director(s) | Yoshimasa Tanaka[1] |
| Producer(s) | Yasuhiro Fukaya[1] |
| Artist(s) |
|
| Composer(s) | Motoi Sakuraba[1] |
| Series | Tales |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release date(s) |
PS3, PS4‹See Tfd› PS4‹See Tfd› Microsoft Windows‹See Tfd›
|
| Genre(s) | Role-playing |
Tales of Berseria (Japanese: テイルズ オブ ベルセリア Hepburn: Teiruzu Obu Beruseria) is a Japanese role-playing game developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows. It is the sixteenth main entry in the Tales series.[3] It was released in Japan in August 2016,[4] and is set to be released worldwide in January 2017.[5]
Gameplay
Tales of Berseria is a role-playing video game, where players navigate the game's world through the game's characters from a third-person perspective.[6] As with previous Tales games, characters can interact through Skits, animated clips that play outside cutscenes and battle: characters are represented by head-and-shoulder portraits, and conversations can range from serious to comedic. New to the series' Skit systems is a cut-in effect, where at certain moments within skits characters in various poses will appear in response to the dialogue.[7]
As with previous Tales titles, the game uses a variation of the Linear Motion Battle System (LMBS). Berseria's version is dubbed the "Liberation-LMBS": when in the battle zone, players can freely move around the arena and rotate the camera at will. Characters fight using physical and magical attacks, along with performing skills known as Artes that have various effects on enemies such as stunning them or causing status ailments. Artes can be directly mapped to different control buttons. Abilities outside normal combat include guarding against attacks, side-stepping around opponents, and escaping from battle.[6][8]
A key element in battles is the Soul Gauge, which replaces the move-governing mechanics of earlier Tales games: each character has a separate gauge showing up to five Souls, which are used up when Artes are used. While characters can still attack, their attacks can be easily deflected by enemies, but the Soul Gauge automatically recharges with time. Souls are dropped by enemies in battle which can be "stolen" to refill the gauge, a mechanic that enemies can also use to steal Souls from the player.[6] If enough of the Soul Gauge is full characters can activate unique states called the Break Soul, where they can exceed their combo limit and bring unique effects into battle: for instance, Velvet's Break Soul triggers her arm to become bestial and different elemental attacks are triggered depending on enemy type.[9] The main party consists of four characters which can all be assigned as the controlled character during battle, with the other available playable characters held in reserve.[9][10] A mechanic called the Switch Blast can be used when changing characters: by consuming a portion of the Blast Gauge, the controlled party member switches out for a reserve member, who delivers a free attack. The Blast Gauge is also depleted by performing power attacks called Mystic Artes.[10]
Synopsis
Setting
Berseria will mainly take place in the Holy Midgand Empire, a powerful country that rules over this world's archipelago of a continent. The game's world is shared with Tales of Zestiria, although the events will occur in the distant past of Zestiria. There are countless numbers of islands around, and Midgand's rule crosses even the seas. Areas of land and islands in the game are divided into "territories."[4] Along with humans, one of the other main races is the Malakim (singular: Malak), supernatural spirits who are now used by humans as slaves to utilize their magical abilities after being made visible to even normal humans due to the incident 3 years prior to Velvet's escape from her prison. Throughout the empire, a disease known as Daemonblight causes those infected to lose their humanity and sense of rationality and transform into monsters known as Daemons, who pose a threat to the world. Along with the rulers of the Holy Midgand Empire exists a theocratic order known as the Abbey, who are of great political and religious importance and are influential in imperial affairs. The Exorcists, soldiers from the Abbey, are tasked with purging the world of Daemons and bringing peace and are willing to go to extremes to reach their goal. The game's story also tells of a savior who would bring peace to the world.
Characters
- Velvet Crowe (ベルベット・クラウ, Berubetto Kurau)
- Voiced by: Rina Satō
- A 19-year-old woman who transformed into a Daemon and was subsequently imprisoned because of an incident that happened 3 years prior to the events of the game in her village. After breaking out of her island prison Titania, she battles the Abbey and their Exorcists who have shed their emotions in pursuit of victory against Daemons. She holds a grudge against Artorius, her brother-in-law, for sacrificing her younger brother in front of her during the incident 3 years prior.[4][11]
- Laphicet (ライフィセット, Raifisetto)
- Voiced by: Azumi Asakura
- A Malak who is forcibly made into Velvet's companion after being kidnapped from Teresa's control by an escaping Velvet. As his will is sealed, he has no sense of self and lives as a tool to be ordered and used. However after following Velvet and her group, he starts to develop his own sense of self. Velvet named him after her little brother.
- Rokurou Rangetsu (ロクロウ・ランゲツ, Rokurō Rangetsu)
- Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio
- A Daemon similar to Velvet who managed to maintain his sense of reason and his human form. He aims to defeat his stronger elder brother in the ways of the sword. He joins Velvet in escaping Titania and continues on her journey to repay his debt to her for helping him find his sword.
- Eleanor Hume (エレノア・ヒューム, Erenoa Hyūmu)
- Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu
- One of the Abbey's Exorcists who at first clashes with Velvet's quest for revenge, but later is forced to join her party in order to return Laphicet to the Exorcists on Artorius's special orders.
- Magilou (マギルゥ, Magirū)
- Voiced by: Satomi Satō
- A mysterious and carefree sorceress who joins Velvet and Rokurou in escaping their island prison. She is acquainted with Melchior in a seemingly antagonistic relationship.
- Bienfu (ビエンフー, Bienfū)
- Voiced by: Naomi Nagasawa
- Magilou's small Malak partner who is abused at the comedic sake of Magilou's teasing, he hides his real face with a ribbon-decorated hat to look interesting. After Magilou was locked up in Titania, he was found and taken into the care of Eleanor, whom he sees as a significantly kinder master.
- Eizen (アイゼン, Aizen)
- Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa
- A 1000-year-old Malak pirate who has the appearance of a 30-year-old and pilots a ship called the Van Eltia as its vice-captain. He joins Velvet in order to search for his close friend, the missing ship captain, Van Aifread. In the 3 year period during Velvet's imprisonment, he became infamous as a Death God whose existence as a Malak brings misfortune to everyone around him.
- Oscar Dragonia (オスカー・ドラゴニア, Osukaa Doragonia)
- Voiced by: Tomoaki Maeno
- A Praetor-rank Exorcist who tries to stop Velvet after the latter escapes from prison. He has a strong sense of justice as an Exorcist and loyalty to his sister.
- Teresa Linares (テレサ・リナレス, Teresa Rinaresu)
- Voiced by: Yui Horie
- A Praetor-rank Exorcist and Oscar's half-sister who governs the northern area of the empire. She worries much for her brother that he will push himself too far on the job, despite her being known by the title of 'Ice Queen'.
- Shigure Rangetsu (シグレ・ランゲツ, Shigure Rangetsu)
- Voiced by: Kazuya Nakai
- A Legate-rank Exorcist who is Rokurou's elder brother. He is regarded a genius swordsman within the Rangetsu Sword-style, and is always seeking an interesting and entertaining fight.
- Melchior (メルキオル, Merukioru)
- Voiced by: Nobuo Tobita
- A Legate-rank Exorcist who is a master in the art of alchemy. He is Artorius's colleague and friend who shares similar beliefs.
- Seres (シアリーズ, Shiarizu)
- Voiced by: Satomi Arai
- A Malak formerly under Artorius' command who regained her sense of will and aids Velvet in her escape from prison for the sake of stopping Artorius.
- Artorius Collbrande (アルトリウス・コルブランド, Arutoriusu Koruburando)
- Voiced by: Kenyu Horiuchi
- Once addressed by Velvet with the nickname of 'Arthur' and her brother-in-law, is the head of the Abbey and the Exorcists who is deemed the world's savior and the game's primary antagonist for having acquired a power that would allow him to save the world from the Daemonblight. He favors the use of reason over emotion as part of his battle tactics, and has used this as the prime teaching for all Exorcists.
- Innominat (カノヌシ Kanonushi)
- Voiced by: Rie Kugimiya
- An extremely powerful Malak that Artorius and the Exorcists summon to purge all human emotion in order to cleanse the world of Daemonblight. He takes on the form of Velvet's deceased brother and serves as the game's secondary antagonist.[12]
Plot
When she was a child, Velvet Crowe and her younger brother Laphicet were saved by her brother-in-law Artorius when a Scarlet Night happened and the Daemonblight consumed their village—Velvet's pregnant older sister Celica is killed by the disease. A few years later, Velvet lives with Laphicet and Artorius in another village. The Scarlet Night returns, with the entire village succumbing to the Daemonblight: when Velvet finds Artorius, she sees he has sacrificed her brother as part of a ritual. Artorius attempts to use her as well, but she fights back and the Daemonblight possesses her arm, mutating it and turning her into a Daemon. In a rage, she slaughters the surviving Daemons, then witnesses the summoning of Malakim into the world, including a reincarnated Celica, now an emotionless Malak called Seres. She is thrown into a prison for Daemons in the prison island Titania, swearing to kill Artorius and avenge her brother's murder. Over the next three years, Artorius forms the Abbey to bring peace to the Holy Midgand Empire, and is seen as a savior by the people for establishing the Exorcists.
After three years in prison, Velvet, now embittered and possessing the power to absorb and produce malevolence from her mutated arm, is freed by Seres, who has regained her emotions and broken away from Artorius. During her escape, Velvet also aids Rokurou and Magilou. During the escape, Velvet and Seres fight against the Praetor Exorcist Oscar Dragonia, and Seres takes a fatal attack when Oscar turns one of his Malakim servants into a dragon to face them. Absorbing Seres at her own request, Velvet makes a final attack on Oscar that blinds him in one eye before he escapes. She, Rokurou and Magilou then escape the island on a ship. Over the course of their journey, they also meet Eleanor, who is one of the Abbey's Exorcists but beginning to doubt their methods; Laphicet, a Malak formerly in service to Praetor Exorcist Teresa Linares until breaking free and traveling with Velvet; and Eizen, a Malak who travels with pirates who grant the group sanctuary. Eleanor is initially reluctant to join Velvet; she attempts suicide before being stopped by Laphicet and learning the full truth behind the Abbey's plans. Magilou in turn is used by the Abbey as a spy before turning against them.
They eventually learn that Artorius, Oscar, Teresa, and Legate Exorcists Shigure Rangetsu and Melchior are trying to purge the Daemonblight by erasing all emotion from humankind: to do this, both of Velvet's siblings were sacrificed during the Scarlet Nights in order to summon Innominat, an extremely powerful Malak, into the world. They were ultimately successful, with Innominat taking on the form of Velvet's deceased brother. Laphicet is then revealed to be the reincarnation of Celica's unborn son. The group pursue each of the Exorcists, fighting and defeating them. They then face Artorius, who merges with Innominat in the final battle before Velvet kills him once and for all. Innominat begins going berserk, and Velvet allows him to impale her while she impales him with her mutated arm - as her arm produces unlimited amounts of malevolence that Innominat absorbs, she is able to be sealed away and both contain and nourish him eternally. Laphicet then becomes Innominat's replacement with the help of Oscar, Teresa, Shigure and Melchior, reincarnated as extremely powerful Malakim that serve Laphicet as his Lords. Laphicet then transforms into a benevolent dragon and purifies the land of malevolence, at the cost of humans not being able to see the Malakim. Eleanor decides to become a "shepherd" to guide the people, Magilou records the events of the world in her role as a scribe, while Laphicet renames himself as "Maotelus" - these events foreshadow and set the scene for Tales of Zestiria.
Development
Development for Tales of Berseria began in the fall of 2014 at Bandai Namco Studios, after active development had finished on Zestiria. A notable change was Hideo Baba not acting as producer, his role instead being filled by Yasuhiro Fukaya while Baba himself took over general supervision of the Tales series.[13] The main theme of Tales of Berseria is the conflict between emotion and reason, with Velvet being the incarnation of emotion and rage.[4] This theme is represented in the game's title, which stems from the term "Berserker", legendary warriors who were imbued with uncontrollable power.[2] The game was the first in the Tales series to feature a sole female protagonist, with that last leading female character being Milla Maxwell from Tales of Xillia, who had shared her role as main dual protagonist with male character Jude Mathis. As Milla had been popular with the Tales fanbase, it was decided that Berseria would have a female lead. The decision was also influenced by the growing demands for female lead characters, particularly from the West.[14]
Despite being a distant prequel to Tales of Zestiria taking place during the Closed Dark time period and containing references, the game's story was designed to be able to work on its own. This distant connection concept was inspired by the developer's wish to emulate the similar distant narrative connection between Tales of Phantasia and Tales of Symphonia.[13][14] It also featured nods to earlier entries in the series, such as the party's ship being named after a similar transport ship in Tales of Eternia.[2] While it is the first original Tales title to be developed for the PlayStation 4, it will also release on the PlayStation 3 in Japan: the game was first developed on PS3, then upgraded to PS4. Using a similar engine to past Tales titles, the majority of updating went into technical improvements to ensure smooth performance on all platforms.[13] Berseria is intended to be the last mainline Tales title for seventh-generation consoles.[14]
Bandai Namco Entertainment had filed a trademark for the title, along with two other titles, on April 20, 2015.[15] On June 6, 2015, the game was officially announced, including details on the protagonist Velvet, voiced by Rina Satou and designed by Mutsumi Inomata. It was revealed that ufotable would animate the anime cutscenes.[3] The game was described as the final part of the company's 20th anniversary celebrations for the Tales series.[16] The game's year of release was announced in December 2015, while its western release for PS4 and Microsoft Windows was confirmed the following week.[4][17] The game's theme song, "Burn", will be composed and performed by Flow.[18] Its characteristic genre name, a recurring feature of the series, is Kimi ga kimirashiku ikiru tame no ārupījī (君が君らしく生きるためのRPG?, lit. "RPG of Discovering your Own Reason to Live") .[19]
Reception
| Reception | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||
When reviewed in Famitsu, both versions of Tales of Berseria received a score of 35 out of 40 based on four reviews. Among the positive comments made were towards its story and characters, along with aspects of its gameplay. The reviewers' main criticisms were leveled against some lack of originality in the gameplay and disappointment that the game did not better utilize the graphical power of the PS4.[20] Dengeki PlayStation praised the story and characters, particularly noting Satō's performance as Velvet, and said the battles were the most enjoyable in the series to date. It did criticize the tutorials as being too long, wanted faster character movement earlier in the game, and said that series newcomers might be overwhelmed by the number of aspects to learn.[21]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Romano, Sal (12 April 2016). "Tales of Berseria launches August 18 in Japan". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Douglas (22 April 2016). "Tales of Berseria Arrives In The West In Early 2017". Siliconera. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- 1 2 "Bandai Namco Ent. Reveals Tales of Berseria PS4, PS3 Game". Anime News Network. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Tales of Berseria coming west for PS4, PC". Gematsu. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
- ↑ "Tales of Berseria Launching".
- 1 2 3 "Berseria's Battle System". Tales of Blog. 25 February 2016. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ "New Characters and Skit System in Tales of Berseria!". Tales of Blog. 22 April 2016. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ 『テイルズ オブ ベルセリア』では戦闘が大幅進化！TPやCCに代わる新要素「ソウルゲージ」により、簡単かつ自在な「術技連携」を実現 (in Japanese). Inside Games. 25 February 2016. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- 1 2 Romano, Sal (23 March 2016). "Tales of Berseria details Break Soul system". Gematsu. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- 1 2 "The Battle System Gets A New Feature in Tales of Berseria! Check out Eizen's and Eleanor's Battle Styles!". Tales of Blog. 22 April 2016. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ Romano, Sal (22 December 2015). "Tales of Berseria set in the past world of Tales of Zestiria". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
- ↑ "Tales of Berseria RPG Casts Daisuke Kishio, Ami Koshimizu as 2 New Characters".
- 1 2 3 Tony (22 April 2016). "JPGAMES.DE: Unser Interview mit Yasuhiro Fukaya" (in German and English). JPGames.de. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 Kamen, Matt (22 April 2016). "Why Tales of Berseria is getting a female lead". Wired. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ Romano, Sal (12 May 2015). "Bandai Namco trademarks Tales of Berseria, Orfellia, and Alestia in Japan". Gematsu. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ↑ "最新作「テイルズ オブ ベルセリア」や20周年記念アニメが発表された「テイルズ オブ フェスティバル 2015」をレポート". 4Gamer.net. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- ↑ "Tales of Berseria is coming to PS4 and PC in the west". Destructoid. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
- ↑ Romano, Sal (10 March 2016). "Tales of Berseria introduces Magilou and Bienfu". Gematsu. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ↑ 『テイルズ オブ ベルセリア』発売日が2016年8月18日に決定！ パッケージビジュアルや初回封入特典、限定版情報も公開. Famitsu. 2016-04-13. Archived from the original on 2016-04-13. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
- 1 2 プレイステーション3/プレイステーション4 - テイルズ オブ ベルセリア. Famitsu Weekly (in Japanese). Enterbrain (1444): 50. 4 August 2016.
- 1 2 Dengeki Review: テイルズ オブ ベルセリア (PS3/PS4). Dengeki PlayStation (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works (620): 179. 10 August 2016.
