Tales of Symphonia: DotNW・Emil Solo

[@RinKiriTales]

This project was a spontaneous decision made last week since I wanted to configure some controller options for the future. The test turned into a commitment to get Emil done since I already had Dolphin open. I play Dawn on the Wii version for a few reasons. I've used a lot of the Gecko codes for years, but most importantly, the Wii version has extra shortcuts that were tied to the Wii motion capabilities. I never transitioned or bothered with the PS3 version just off of that bonus alone. However, an extra benefit also comes from a Dawn texture enhancement modification. ▶Gameplay There is a lot I want to talk about, and I'll probably forget some things, but this game is a mess. Surprisingly, I recall playing this game a lot back in the day and liking it a lot, even the monster system. Anyway, a few things of note: Nearly every attack, some allies', but nearly all enemy attacks have insane vertical and horizontal hitboxes that do not begin to make any sense. For example, Alice's Splash has a horizontal hitbox that extends double or even triple the length of the actual spell. The game is broken beyond belief. Mystic Artes feel like RNG to me at times. I can meet every requirement, and the game flips a coin on whether I get the MA or not. Connected the Arcane Arte, last hit connected, holding the Artes button (I actually hold both because holding artes alone definitely does not work). Again, a hot mess and the cause of a lot of frustration. Bosses can activate MAs whenever they feel like it. The shortcuts being tied to motion controls, well, you know how that goes. I recall doing my old Richter solo, the super old one, with an actual Wiimote and still being frustrated. However, those extra shortcuts, man. Enemy hurtboxes make no sense. A lot of enemies stagger into these awkward positions, and their hitboxes become razor-thin. It's incredibly easy to whiff entire artes or combos. Even the larger bosses, you'll see, are actually harder to combo than the smaller enemies. A hot mess. Critical hits are everything in this game. If you're not getting a critical hit, then expect the enemies to guard everything for eons. Critical hits also add extra hit-stun as some random trivia for you. That is really beneficial, and I like that concept. The axis does not exist in this game. Emil is often at the mercy of random properties of artes and interactions changing on the fly. One moment Demon's Edge knocks the enemy forward, the next time to the side, then the third time you're skating off to a random axis. A friend of mine calls Dawn "Abyss on Ice," for good reason. ▶Modifications ● Access to all equipment Dawn, like other Tales games, has a lackluster grade shop. I think there was a method to carry over accessories on your monsters in the Wii version. It doesn't matter since I give myself access to all equipment regardless. Though, it wasn't until late in the game I actually started to use said equipment, which I would have normal access to anyway. I found it a bit funny when I changed my default armor for the first time around the mid or end-game point while recording earlier. ● Access to all skills Really, this is for Emil's elemental skills. Why you couldn't carry these over, I have no idea, but it's dumb, so I gave myself access to them. I will say that the game wouldn't change too much if I stuck to what's unlocked by plot since Emil is broken himself. Though, his combo game does flow a bit better once you access the skills. Also, you don't get Aqua until you're right before the final boss. This game lacks extra content, so what's the point? Past that, I do not do anything else beyond removing the party or using manuscripts to level up Emil as necessary. ▶Emil ● Aerial Combat Emil is broken, but he has some significant flaws too. The main flaw being his combat flow. The character is clearly designed with the transition between ground and aerial combat in mind, but Emil has no landing skill. He has a ton of end-lag if you do an aerial arte and will promptly be punished for trying. Which is weird since Havoc Strike functions quite well as an air-to-ground arte. Secondly, Emil cannot activate his Mystic Arte if you do an arcane arte from an aerial position. I tried this entire project and not once did it activate. I still went ahead and used quite a bit of aerial combat throughout the project just to show how cool Emil looks when flailing about in the air. ● Artes Emil is broken, seriously broken. Infinites come easy to him, and some of his artes have incredible range. Once Emil's critical hit rate is decent, he can keep consistent pressure on bosses and treat them like regular encounters. Can't forget the Accelerate skill too, which reduces Emil's recovery time from artes. Emil's most useful artes to me are: Demon's Rage - This is my go-to arte for activating MAs since it seems to be the most consistent. This arte has immense range and launches enemies high into the air on the last hit. It falls off a bit towards mid-game in exchange for Raging Thrust, but it's a staple arte in my arsenal that never changes. Sword Rain Alpha - A lot of quick hits that can critical and guard break quickly. I use this arte for approaching most of the time. On smaller enemies, the last hit can be hit or miss, but it's a solid arte that helps close the gap so I can maintain some consistency. Blade Fury - While both versions are good, I like the last hit of the ice variation, which has great hit-stun. I use that gap to quickly decide my next decision. The arte surprisingly keeps enemies in one position and doesn't throw them around random axes. Havoc Strike - The fire variation is necessary. Ridiculously broken horizontal and vertical hitboxes with massive AOE on start-up. This arte actually works as a pseudo crowd control arte, but it activates so fast that it makes for the best base arte follow-up during combos. In a lot of cases, Emil can do an arcane arte, pause, then activate Havoc Strike, and the combo won't drop; it's that fast. Raging Thrust - This arte autocorrects with a high success rate. There are a handful of situations where it might send Emil careening past the enemy, but oftentimes it will autocorrect with the camera and stick to the enemy. The last hit has great hit-stun too and serves as a breakpoint to decide whether to follow with a base or reset the combo. Raining Fangs - The water variation launches enemies high into the arte, and the last hit has a high crit rate. I like using this for groups and for trying to open enemies up for a Raging Thrust follow-up. Converging Fury - You can cancel the dash into a base arte, so I use this for the cool factor. If you let the arte complete, it'll down the enemy, unless the final hit crits. A solid arte overall. ▶Final Thoughts I would have finished the project earlier this week, but I ran into some obstacles that caused serious grief. Trying to map motion controls to the R-stick was always loaded with issues. I used a control scheme I made some years back, but after arc 1, I had to stop and try to change my approach. Often times I would do an input and get an entirely different arte. Eventually, I came up with a scheme that used my L2 and R2, moved the C and Z buttons, and then things started to flow in my favor. The bosses themselves are an annoying mess of jank hitboxes, but I'm satisfied with the overall result. I did try to get a lot of aerial action, and I held back a bit from outright throwing infinites every fight. Though, the bosses that would activate MA "just because" definitely got that work when I was stuck on 1 HP or so. I cannot remember if I was as frustrated when I recorded Emil back in '20, but I wouldn't be surprised since I was using that rough control scheme on a busted controller. I also recall some old Richter solos when I lost control and just used an enemy mod to fight everything in one area. Hell, I remember using "Eye 2 Eye" from A Goofy Movie on the final boss because I lost my mind. Well, this time that wasn't the result, but there were a few hair-pulling moments of asking, "How did that hit me?" Anyway, as you all know, and if you're new, you'll learn in time that my personal feelings towards some of these games don't impact whether I'll make content for a game. I'm sure there are some Dawn fans and Emil fans out there that may be entertained if they come across this video. So there you go, I can scratch Emil off of the list for good.

[@z-v-x8324]

As jank and clearly unfinished as this game is, i gotta admit there's a certain charm to it that makes me have a bit of a soft spot for it. Emil's moveset has such a stylish flow to it that i can't help but enjoy watching anything involving his combos in ANY game he appears in (RM3 the goat)

[@RinKiriTales]

I have a soft spot for it since I put a lot of hours in it back in the day. I still think about my Fenrir sometimes that's long lost to time.

[@blivveries]

Sometimes I think about playing Dawn of the New World again, but then I look at footage and I remember how broken basically every mechanic is, how even just _hitting_ an enemy feels so wimpy, how _embarrassingly bad_ every Mystic Arte looks, how the hit effects on several artes don't even line up properly with the weapon (pause at any point during a Blade Fury and wonder to yourself how it ended up like this) And I think to myself "the devs didn't give the game a second pass, why should I" (great run! gotta love those aerial combos)

[@Tobias-m8g]

Emil has a violent moveset. There's no rhyme. It's very dark and scary when he fights.

[@あんず-f6v]

3周目の時に魔物引き継ぎをして レベル200のベア系の魔物がいたんだけど、 そいつが一撃だけタックルしたらロイドがうわあああって言いながら倒せた時は めっちゃ驚いたね。

[@ryusoulger9127]

I unapologetically like this game more than the OG, that's mainly because it's pretty much just Abyss in combat but with a ton of jank. Much as I think Symph 1 is more polished, I don't like how limiting it feels in movement for the first 3D game in the series.

[@crimsonraiza3633]

Was this game any good gameplay/story wise? I never got to play it but I LOVED Tales of Symphonia and it's still like one of my favorite games of all time.

[@asra-5180]

Can't level up the Tales of Symphonia Characters, but otherwise yeah it wasn't bad.

[@RinKiriTales]

The story is a bit weak and doesn't take itself too seriously, but the game isn't too bad overall. As far as a sequel, they did Symphonia a bit dirty. The ideas on paper were solid, but the execution was mediocre.

[@cynicismIncarnate]

If you like ToS, there's no reason not to at least give this game a whirl once.

[@Gudbauc20]

not so neat thing (on ps3 anyway) most aerial enemies seem to just not take crits from any of Emil's ground to air artes, admittedly need to test further, i did notice that windmaster in specific was taking next to no crits outright in my own playthrough somewhat recently

[@rpgblue9157]

What Wii or PS3 Like Hack Cheat solo characters main😢

[@sebastian3221]

Are you gonna do Marta? Or Collette?

[@RinKiriTales]

Marta for sure, Colette in ToS2 no. The Symphonia cast is terrible

[@sebastian3221]

@@RinKiriTales no others? Can they not combo? No even regal?

[@link0192]

@@sebastian3221 they dont gain any Exp so they are basically stuck with stats based on where you are in the story. and even at their max arent very powerful

[@jebusauriorets]

god I love this game and the emil playstyle but the combat effects are SO underwhelming. It feels like you're hitting people with a dry noodle stick if you compare it to symphonia or abyss where effects were much flashier and the damage sounds were more visceral