I’m not gonna sugarcoat it, I’ve been going through an incredibly rough time recently, and it almost did not end well. So I’m gonna talk about a game that helped me through a really rough spot.
This is Tales of Phantasia, released for the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) in 1995, although it wouldn’t release here until 2006 for the Game Boy Advance. I don’t know how many people are familiar with the Tales series, it’s mostly known outside of Japan for the games Berseria and Arise, but it started with this game. This is a very special game for a multitude of reasons. It was the first game of it’s time to have full-voice acting, in addition to a combat system called the Linear Motion Battle System, which is kinda like a fighting game as you play on a linear plane with a focus on combos. You can switch your attacks on the fly and even switch characters while playing, in general it’s a very unique system and felt really fast-paced and fun. There are also plenty of things outside of the main game. You can find secrets all over the overworld, sidequests that help flesh out the world and characters, and additional weapons and gear that can help you later in the game, it’s even better if you’re planning on replaying the game multiple times!
In terms of the story I was expecting something really cliched and basic but for a game from 1995 it’s actually really intractate, dealing with a lot of mature topics such as mass genocide, found family, racism, discrimination, existentialism, long-distance relationships, and more. The story is about Cress Albane and his friend Chester Burklight, who one day after a hunting trip find their village has been destroyed by bandits and their entire families killed, yes even the children which becomes a pivotal part in Chester’s arc to avenge his sister. Cress will have to go on a journey to become more than he is, he’s a wonderful character who experiences a lot of growth and maturity throughout the game and I loved his arc especially how he aspires to become an even greater swordsman than his father and his personal journey to make that a reality. Other characters include the claric, Mint Adenine, who struggles with post-traumatic stress and aspires to be as good of a healer as her mother, a great parallel to Cress’s journey, the summoner Claus, who initially starts as a very immature and childish researcher who matures into a leader and deals with a long-distance relationship with his colleague, the half-elf Arche Klein, who faces racism and discrimination for being a half-elf, and Suzu Fujibayashi, a shinobi from the future struggling with the loss of her parents. Together they must defeat the evil Dhaos, who threatens to endanger their world. I found all these characters to just be wonderful, they all grow together and feel so much like a family in spite of everything that they go through. Dhaos is also a fantastic villain, whose looming presence is felt through the entire game.
In short, Tales of Phantasia is a magical journey that brought me back to what I really love about videogames. I love the atmosphere which reminds me of the dark fantasy movies and books I read in my youth, such as Princess Bride, the Hobbit, or Labyrinth. It really helped make me feel good about myself again after such a difficult time. I still have a long way to go, but I cannot thank the game enough for how it helped me. I recommend this to anyone looking for a classic role-playing experience.
This is Tales of Phantasia, released for the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) in 1995, although it wouldn’t release here until 2006 for the Game Boy Advance. I don’t know how many people are familiar with the Tales series, it’s mostly known outside of Japan for the games Berseria and Arise, but it started with this game. This is a very special game for a multitude of reasons. It was the first game of it’s time to have full-voice acting, in addition to a combat system called the Linear Motion Battle System, which is kinda like a fighting game as you play on a linear plane with a focus on combos. You can switch your attacks on the fly and even switch characters while playing, in general it’s a very unique system and felt really fast-paced and fun. There are also plenty of things outside of the main game. You can find secrets all over the overworld, sidequests that help flesh out the world and characters, and additional weapons and gear that can help you later in the game, it’s even better if you’re planning on replaying the game multiple times!
In terms of the story I was expecting something really cliched and basic but for a game from 1995 it’s actually really intractate, dealing with a lot of mature topics such as mass genocide, found family, racism, discrimination, existentialism, long-distance relationships, and more. The story is about Cress Albane and his friend Chester Burklight, who one day after a hunting trip find their village has been destroyed by bandits and their entire families killed, yes even the children which becomes a pivotal part in Chester’s arc to avenge his sister. Cress will have to go on a journey to become more than he is, he’s a wonderful character who experiences a lot of growth and maturity throughout the game and I loved his arc especially how he aspires to become an even greater swordsman than his father and his personal journey to make that a reality. Other characters include the claric, Mint Adenine, who struggles with post-traumatic stress and aspires to be as good of a healer as her mother, a great parallel to Cress’s journey, the summoner Claus, who initially starts as a very immature and childish researcher who matures into a leader and deals with a long-distance relationship with his colleague, the half-elf Arche Klein, who faces racism and discrimination for being a half-elf, and Suzu Fujibayashi, a shinobi from the future struggling with the loss of her parents. Together they must defeat the evil Dhaos, who threatens to endanger their world. I found all these characters to just be wonderful, they all grow together and feel so much like a family in spite of everything that they go through. Dhaos is also a fantastic villain, whose looming presence is felt through the entire game.
In short, Tales of Phantasia is a magical journey that brought me back to what I really love about videogames. I love the atmosphere which reminds me of the dark fantasy movies and books I read in my youth, such as Princess Bride, the Hobbit, or Labyrinth. It really helped make me feel good about myself again after such a difficult time. I still have a long way to go, but I cannot thank the game enough for how it helped me. I recommend this to anyone looking for a classic role-playing experience.