All Tales Of Games RANKED WORST To BEST

[@davidvinc]

Follow me on Twitter! twitter.com/TheDavidVinc

[@nah4467]

Arise is so overrated and has one of the worst stories in a Tales Game. The only good thing is decent music and flashy Combat but the difficulty spikes to promote buying levels is shit, the mid to late game was bad, and I'm disappointed that people attack others that critique this game, it's just a worse Vesperia and Symphonia Clone that can't even stack to those games stories at all by the end. The honeymoon phase of Arise is so damn thick ngl. It's fine if you like the game but I accept all the problems with Symphonia and it's my favorite but I won't lie on the underlying issues with it. Telling me Arise is the best or 2nd best imo is just not the case to me with everyone saying it without any really critiques to it at all or trying to find issues about it. I won't say it's the *worst* but the story is garbage. Characters had potential and Idm some of them besides one or two that were either annoying or boring.

[@getinthering7309]

there s another top remake: psp. it's in nirikiri dungeon, start page

[@Nyx_Oskurita]

Tales of Symphonia introduced me to the series and it’s to this day my all time favorite game. I own every single version of that game and it never gets old to play it.

[@BankaiFever]

Have you played the new remaster?

[@Nyx_Oskurita]

@@BankaiFever unfortunately I bought the switch version and it’s been killing me lol

[@BankaiFever]

@@Nyx_Oskurita no way fyl lol that sucks I got a physical ps4 version it’s a shame they didn’t do a remake from the ground up. I feel like a chump because I have the ps3 version that came with 2 back in the day as well

[@Nyx_Oskurita]

@@BankaiFever right! I feel so betrayed!!

[@usephjohnson]

👍🏾👍🏾

[@quatreraberbawinner2628]

Tales of arise is my first tales game, and it resonated with me in a way I haven't experienced in a long time, I hope they paid the voice actors well, because they carried the game on their backs

[@bradyhayes7911]

Alphen is voiced by the VA of Noctis (FFXV), Shionne is Futaba (Persona 5), Law is Inosuke (Demon Slayer), and so on. Kudos to the devs for getting such a proven cast - they did an awesome job with the dub

[@quatreraberbawinner2628]

@@bradyhayes7911 zephyr's VA was also Ulbricht from octopath

[@hcook1023]

I felt the exact same way it's why I started playing rpgs again I had gotten so tired of the same crap or worlds so big I couldn't care about 80% of the content, I played the last assassin's Creeds on commitment alone to not waste the first 20 hours

[@PerfectMessProductions]

My first and favorite so far

[@skycloud4802]

The voice actors done such a good job, that I felt a bit disappointed when I regularly interact with an NPC and the dialogue is mainly text reading.

[@Wildezz]

Really wish we see official English ports of the older stuff we never got here, instead of just fan translations (particularly a more definitive edition of Tales of Phantasia (SNES or PS1), Destiny 1 PS2 remake, the real Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Rebirth, Tales of Innocence) - I feel there are significant holes in the English releases that by this point in time being 2021, have more than an opportunity to be filled via remasters or future collections. Really hoping all of these will see the light of day over here - given how popular the series has become over time, I could absolutely see it happen :).

[@gunplagoblin9658]

You don't like that Phantasia fan translation where they Arche "Fucks like a tiger"?

[@nicholaskong1673]

I literally used Google translate camera to finish my tales of destiny 2 on my psp. If there is a will, there is a way

[@Thirteen13551355]

PS1 Phantasia with a fan translation is pretty definitive.

[@dru7151]

@@nicholaskong1673 that's interesting how technology has advanced to a point you can just translate text on the spot. But there's a ToD 2 fan translation almost done as you might know.

[@dru7151]

@@Thirteen13551355 ToP X on PSP with the improved battle system (like say Eternia) would be even more definitive.

[@argonaut-kun]

I'm so happy that Vesperia is in the number 1 spot. This was the game that introduced me to the series and it has been my standard ever since. Idk if I was just bias, but for me, this is really the best Tales out there. Everything is just on point with this game!

[@countryboyred]

I played Arise first and loved it, then I went back and played Vesperia DE and needless to say, it’s easily one of the best JRPGs I’ve ever played. Incredible game.

[@Nymphastraza26]

me too yuri is my fav tales char of them all i even named one of my characters from world of warcraft after him,love the guy so much!

[@donaldwest9373]

Spoiler alert. Thanks

[@NoSuRReNDeR001]

Im not its not as good as Tales of the Abyss or Beseria sorry its just not. Hottest character award sure... but its really not as good of story or concept. The Hero that has to be humbled in the worst way and it teaches you something - Vesperia is just a game(best combat in series?) maybe... but I Vesperia is sooooo overhyped

[@716_ハディくん]

​@@NoSuRReNDeR001bad take no wonder less like

[@thesella]

Symphonia is always going to be the top game for me. It had a great story (that pulled the rug out from under you halfway), great characters, and in excellent Tales Of fashion, fantastic music. Out of the 3 I finished (Symphonia, Vesperia, and Berseria) Vesperia takes 3rd because of the storyline line. It was just all over the place. First you have the guilds vs the empire, then you have the problem with the aer, then the spirits at the end (which should have played a bigger part). I love Yuri and he's my favorite MC, second only to Velvet, but even he isn't enough to place Vesperia over Symphonia. Just my opinion

[@fg009letyrds8]

Well in Vesperia, spirits are just the solution anyway, not an Innate part of the world (it would only makes sense for it to be a central mechanic and plot in a direct sequel where there will be tons of spirits running around) but Estelle should at least be able to summon the spirits in combat too, but aside from that I agree that Vesperia kinda shoved aside Guilds vs Empire and politics narrative.

[@caelr.8553]

Can't agree more. All hail Symphonia!!!

[@jalendurrell]

I agree

[@Katie-hb8iq]

I have a hard time ranking tales games. I've enjoyed all the mainline games from Abyss onwards so much. This series really took the place of Final Fantasy for me as that series went off the rails after XII.

[@johnnymcjohnson1373]

Are you including 12? Cause I really love FF12

[@LeoRex13]

@@johnnymcjohnson137312 was the last great FF ;)

[@KnolanCross]

For me Symphonia is still the best, it has a great story, it is consistently good through all the arks (looking at you Abyss), most characters are fun to play with and the battle system, while dated, is still great fun.

[@michaelmoran2125]

okay i gotta ask when is Abyss bad or even okay i thought it was great.

[@KnolanCross]

@@michaelmoran2125 last ark kinda over stays it's welcome. Also the "every character in your party has a dark past" thing is very overplayed.

[@michaelmoran2125]

@@KnolanCross aight you right for sure

[@demoniob4019]

ive never felt as happy/shocked as when i beat the fake final boss in symphonia and realized there was sooo much more of the game left. maybe its because i expect fake endings nowdays 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@memesfact1552]

Overrated

[@edsheeran1243]

Xillia 1 and 2 for me. I love the unusual story structure of those 2 and the combat in both is the best of the whole series imo. Still haven't played arise though so that may make me change my mind

[@marlongreenwade3887]

Nah Xillias combat system is definitely the best!

[@mianlo2624]

I too find Xilla one of my favorite, without rely on nostalgic feeling. It one of the Tales games I platinum, and beaten at least 4 times.

[@EZog58]

Xillia is my favorite in all ways but combat, where its still in the running despite being around 10 years old, if you can believe it. Arise, Grace's and Berseria combat was just a touch better for me but I loved everyone having unique personal and assist abilities, especially when it lines up with their personality.

[@haydenbrewer787]

The “Tales” games are absolutely spectacular. But the only thing that bothers me is that they always leave the English voice cast uncredited. That is my biggest complaint.

[@buttertoast1146]

Arise was not spectacular

[@War624]

@@buttertoast1146 It was definitely mid, but mostly still better than Zestiria, lol. Though Heldalf was a better villain, if only for his backstory actually having some thought behind it. Gameplay wise, Arise was easily better. Outside of that, Arise was a little too classic shonen, and too streamlined in its systems, which after Berseria, wasn't what I personally wanted. The combat was fun as hell, all that said. And it looked rather nice for a jrpg.

[@rkenblade4489]

@@buttertoast1146that’s wild to me, having played all but 3 Tales of (older titles) Arise was easily my favorite

[@buttertoast1146]

@@rkenblade4489 how tho? The 3rd act is awful

[@KnightRaymund]

@@War624 I can't imagine a worse villain than Heldalf. He's barely in the game.

[@hcook1023]

Tales of Beseria was my favorite, it has an amazing cast of characters with the best female protagonist, and a top contender anyway, I've ever played, not to mention character development is book worthy compared to other games where it seems to happen in spontaneously. My only real complaint is the plot becomes increasingly over the top and a bit ridiculous from the humble, grounded prologue and first couple acts.

[@GTSN38]

Haven't played berseria, but it looks way more badass than the other tales games in the previews.

[@JesusChrist2000BC]

​@@GTSN38It's widely considered one of the worst and the only one that I dropped.

[@mirageknight8070]

Quite the opposite actually; that's the case for Zestiria. I'm new to the series but I heard Berseria is very good and I wasn't disappointed. Granted, the combat isn't the best but the MC, side characters, and the story are more than enough to make me highly rate it as one of the best storytelling medium in a jrpg.@@JesusChrist2000BC

[@JesusChrist2000BC]

@@mirageknight8070 If you are new and if you thought Berseria was great you will think the rest are amazing.

[@FullMetalB]

​@@JesusChrist2000BC lol in what world? As if your username alone doesn't make it clear what a lunatic you are.

[@yordlop]

Tales of Symphonia for me. The wonderfully likeable characters, and the huge sense of setting off on a world-spanning adventure with tons of twists and turns, made it one of my most beloved RPGs.

[@Ultimabuster92]

Tales of Xillia 2 will always be my number 1. I don't mind silent protagonists and compared to other games with silent protagonists, Ludger was done pretty well, in my opinion. He certainly wasn't a blank slate, he had personality. The combat system is, in my opinion, to this day the BEST system in the entire series. But what REALLY hit me was the story. It touched me on such an emotional level, that i can't put it in words. The relationship between two brothers, between father and daughter... done in a way that just... spoke to me, i loved it soo damn much and i still do.

[@cartoonguygaming9521]

One of my favorite things about Tales of Hearts R is the pacing. I’ve played too many rpgs where I eventually feel like I’m stuck in the same town/section for an unbearable amount of time. Never felt that with Hearts R, the story moved along at just the right pace and never forced you to stop and grind

[@MilaMarieRose]

With Berseria being one of my favorite games of all time, it warms my heart to see it ranked so highly. I feel like many Tales fans don't think so highly of it.

[@Basileus127]

Same. I see lots of negative comments about Berseria, especially after Vesperia DE and Arise came out. I liked those games, but Berseria just clicked with me more.

[@EdreesesPieces]

It's a vocal minority. The game is one of the most beloved in the series everytime a poll is taken anywhere.

[@NhatNguyen-le3kz]

same to me, berseria is the first with story centering antagonist which is far away from tales s mainstream heroes. Plus, it has most outstanding character s development that made a few characters to be one best of the series. Magilou is the funniest character of all tales but also strong and wise, I laugh at every of her jokes.

[@budoyong1]

I love Berseria but that game wounded my heart hahha, i was affected by the ending

[@ryuskkey8963]

I played vesperia.... but idk how to explain what it is about...since its divided in 4 different storys per say 😂

[@otakudaikun]

I personally think Graces F liberated the series from a lot of older mechanics that I'd grown tired off. Things like TP gauges and ordinary attacks. In that regard, I definitely think Berseria and Graces F are the best. Velvet is easily one of the best fictional characters ever made. I had no idea Destiny's remake got translated. Was it a fansub or an official release?

[@Norse]

Graces F is incapable of being the best in the series since every character, story beat and line of dialogue is horrendous. the dungeons are also excruciating

[@otakudaikun]

@@Norse I loved the dungeons. They were more than just endless branching corridors.

[@stevencresswell2519]

Loved the list but symphonia was way too low :) The gameplay is pure and still holds up. And the story has loveable characters that grow throughout the course of the plot that slowly unfolds like a flower in bloom. It moves your heart

[@migovas1483]

Specially when you play on the NGC.. looks better, plays better, feels better.. I would promptly swap Berseria with Symphonia... also Arise is too high on the list, is Ok yish...

[@Jeerez]

@@migovas1483 I agree, Tales of Arise is fine, but it lacked the charm most of the other Tales games have. The presentation is superb and the voice acting is very good, but everything else just screams "generic J-RPG" from each and every pore, especially the dialogue and side quests. I also hated how the game is filled to the brim with cliché'd characters (hahahaha Shionne is a tsundere and that's her whole character) and bland dialogues. The first five hours in particular were sluggish as hell, and the whole Iron Mask bit *VERY* quickly went from "heh that's kinda dumb but whatever" to me rolling my eyes every 10 seconds. We get it, you're a mysterious loner with a tragic past or something, whatever, just take off your stupid mask! I think I stopped playing after the third lord so don't quote me on that, but I kept expecting for the story to get better and more engaging but nope, just go from town to town and defeat each lord, Pokemon style. I know we can summarize most J-RPGS with this "bucket list" approach but in Arise it actually struck me hard.

[@Kaladin07]

I don't know if it holds up tbh. I love the game but even the recent remaster feels outdated

[@simplemindedsage]

Me at the beginning of Abyss: "Luke's kind of an asshole." Me by the end of Abyss: "Everyone is an asshole." Love that game. One of my favorites, lol.

[@chimeratcg07]

Everyone is an asshole except Guy lol

[@simplemindedsage]

@@chimeratcg07 Guy was an asshole in retrospect. He's the first character to own up and earn a redemption though.

[@chimeratcg07]

@@simplemindedsage idk man, I never found Guy to be an asshole whatsoever, not even when he wanted to kill Luke and Duke Fabre in the past, he had legitimate reasons.

[@Terranigma23]

Jade is not a asshole. He is just really sassy. I love him. 😅

[@kingveelatte41]

My first Tales game was Tales of Eternia, I remember in my game how Meredy summon Undine a lot because of using Heal all the time. Tales of the Abyss and Berseria is the best for me, but I haven't played Vesperia, Arise and Destiny R, soon I hope. Nice video as always 💪💪

[@Turbo_Waitress]

“…and his snotty gay dog” 😂 I love it. Even if Tenebrae was my favorite part of that game, this cracked me up. I love seeing what other people’s favorite Tales games are and just the attention the series is getting in general. Abyss is still my personal favorite. I played that game at a time in my life when I was struggling and it just had a profound impact on me. But it’s pretty hit or miss to recommend so traditionally I’ve recommended either the Xillia duology or Vesperia to people playing a Tales game for the first time (and now Arise definitely feels like an accessible recommendation as well).

[@feeamerie5011]

Graces F is my favourite - literally growing up with the cast and then the clashes of adulthood and responsibilities. Just beautiful in the PS3 too.

[@lendri5996]

I loved how touching and even dark the story gets. The 3 main characters and their relationship is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time T_T

[@thelightningking8772]

Xillia is my favorite. I can’t really explain why though. Something about that game just works for me more than any other game in the series. Can we also just take a minute to appreciate how great the world design is in this series? The towns and areas in these games are some of the most visually interesting in the entire genre.

[@Ziksell]

Yea Xillia the best tales of series.

[@pinkpacman1232]

@@Ziksell agreed

[@truindividual]

Wow, Vesperia is #1? It was my first Tales game, which I ended up buying out of curiosity. Im glad I bought it beat it and even got the Definitive Version. Arise is my 2nd game and Im so close to the end and loving every second. I certainly came in at the right time. I do have Berseria though, can't wait to play that. I wanna get Abyss and Symphonia too down the line

[@XGab1X]

I personnaly still think berseria have one of the best story but one of the worst gameplay. Battle are really boring compared to vesperia arise and symphonia to me.

[@loganellis7735]

I have played this series with a group of friends in multiplayer modes dedicatedly since Symphonia released when I was in middle school. We LOVED Graces F for its fast-paced combat and over-the-top melodrama, so that would be #1 for me. I'm playing Arise right now and enjoying it, but I do miss the social multiplayer component, which for me is a trademark of the series.

[@nickel7o740]

It now has a multiplayer Mod on PC. I'm currently playing it with my siblings.

[@sorataakihiko4875]

YES YES! T_T i played a few of series solo but i really really loved playing with my friends together!

[@sorataakihiko4875]

@@nickel7o740 is it good.? does it play smoothly?

[@staticshock4239]

Tales of Zestiria was actually my first Tales game and I enjoyed it. It got me into this series and ever since, I played the Xillia 1, Arise, Berseria and I'm currently playing Vesperia. I also have Tales of Symphonia Chronicles, Graces F, Xillia 2 and The Abyss.

[@SomeRPGFan]

I love both Legendia and Zestiria, they are some of my favorite games in the series and very special to me. Music by Go Shiina is one reason but not the only one. Apparently I'm pretty much alone with that opinion :( (especially for Legendia).

[@fredflintstone5356]

Tales of Legendia was my first tales game. I really enjoyed it when I was a teenager when it originally came out. Now as an adult, I haven’t played my third play through yet (2 of them was when I was a teen) so I am not sure how it will hold up. However Tales of Xillia 2 I didn’t like at all and I just played that earlier this year, then I played Tales of Graces F right after and I absolutely loved that game. Now I am currently playing Tales of Arise. I am only 2 hours in but I am enjoying it so far.

[@westonmeyer3110]

Legendia holds up.

[@8bitblock]

Legendia music is also so iconic for me, the entire ost oozes greatness. Favorite band of characters too.

[@ArtUndertheArch]

Radiant Mythology was suuuuuuuch a cool game when I was kid! Seeing all of these characters together in 3D? My young brain could not handle

[@matthewkuscienko4616]

Radiant Mythology is a lot of fun, even if it is pretty repetitive and very basic. I still personally enjoy it, but I can understand why people don't think it holds up to the high standards of the series as a whole

[@Hexadecimal_QueenofChaos]

Putting Arise above Abyss…….?!!!?!?!? Oh hale no. Jade as a character alone is funnier and more entertaining than the entirety of Arise. [Spoilers ahead] Arise dropped the ball with its story and completely destroyed its own potential and premise. The game had you fighting against oppression in its first half then by the second half actually had the nerve to make you feel guilty for opposing power hungry slave drivers… when the design of the game is essentially one way corridors leading you directly to fight the oppressors and the narrative beats the audience over the head with the topic of the worlds oppression and nothing else. The plot twist at the end basically rendered everything you did in the first half completely pointless and the ending didn’t solve anything. All along the oppressors are not to blame it was all the working of a sci fi entity that was controlling everyone for power for its dying alien planet, give me a break, this is a slap in the face for anyone who was taking the concept of discrimination seriously throughout the game and the game takes itself wayyy too seriously. This is the first Tales game I can’t replay because it angered me too much. It wasted everyone’s time and frontloaded all its effort into the first three chapters to garner good reviews and hook people's attention so that they would purchase the DLC because the game is a slog without it. Total scam and waste of time game. Symphonia, Abyss, Vesperia and Berseria are ahead of Arise in every way possible except for the flashy graphics.

[@albedoasura3872]

Great list, my favorite character in all of Tales is Yuri, hes such a badass and a breath of fresh air from the cookie cutter goodie 2 shoes MC. I think the only thing keeping Vesperia from being number 1 for me is combat. Give me Vesperia with Arise or Graces combat and you have a masterpiece.

[@fg009letyrds8]

To be fair most older Tales games experience would be greatly upgraded if it's given Arise combat gameplay.

[@sarev0k1984]

I started with Tales of Eternia and will always be special for me. ❤

[@SoothingBelle]

Tales of Legendia is my favorite tales game. It may not have the best mechanics, but the OST is single handedly the best. Not to mention the amount of character development. By the end of the game, I loved all of the characters in all of their flawed ways. ❤

[@westonmeyer3110]

It’s my favorite game of all time

[@homesteadhero]

I'm always interested in watching these lists because it shows me just how differently people perceive what makes one game better than another. I was SHOCKED to see Graces so high, but it made sense as soon as I realized that you focus heavily on customization and gameplay fluidity whereas I (as a writer) am all about the story. Even where my opinions differed, I absolutely understood your reasonings! And with Tales, almost every entry has something to love - it's just that good of a series.

[@Ultimabuster92]

Interesting, i'm not a professional writer, i do it as a hobby, but still, i love well written storys and ESPECIALLY well written characters. Graces was a fun game gameplay wise, but when it comes to the story, it felt pretty generic to me, the characters also felt... not very interesting.

[@homesteadhero]

@@Ultimabuster92 Oh absolutely! That's exactly what I meant (though I'm not sure if you assumed the same or the opposite lol). Graces was a blast to play, but gosh was the story a slog. I feel like they telegraphed every foreseeable twist, which was a huge bummer cuz I didn't mind the cast itself and they had the *potential* to be interesting...they just weren't lol

[@ShadowHunter002]

​@@homesteadheroDefinitely agree with the both of you on this. Even though I am not a writer, I like good stories and characters in games, which is the main reason this series clicks with me. Out of curiosity, which tales games have the best stories in your opinion as a writer? I feel that Abyss has the best world building, Symphonia the best story and Xillia / Berseria the best characters/cast/skits, but im curious what you think.

[@homesteadhero]

@@ShadowHunter002 Believe it or not, your analysis is pretty spot-on with my own! The only thing I'd specify further is that I feel like Xillia has the strongest protagonists while Berseria has the best cast of secondary characters (I'm not personally a fan of the main cast) and Zestiria, of all things, has the best main cast dynamic.

[@TheClamatoJuice]

While I acknowledge all of Zestiria's flaws, I still really love it for some reason. It absolutely does have warts but it's still one of my favorite entries lol. My first in the series was Symphonia and I played all the localized ones since except for Hearts R and Arise.

[@josepheckenrod2248]

Tales of Graces F is my favorite Tales game, and one of my all time favorite games ever. Everything seemed to be so perfect. I can always go back to it and play it from start and finish.

[@mattunboxedph7084]

Finally, a list with Vesperia as the top ranked Tales game.🔥

[@lloydirving6209]

you say "finally" but I feel like I _only_ see vesperia at the top of these sort of lists (for good reason)

[@RustyPopcorn]

@@lloydirving6209 what did you guys think of Xillia? I really thought it had the greatest twists and variety of areas, but also the most realistic personas

[@lendri5996]

@@RustyPopcorn Xillia is my favorite, I loved all of the characters and the combat system is great

[@featuringdez7456]

@@RustyPopcornagreed Xillia is the best but it’s always nice to see others take on the series and why they like others more❤ the series is goated

[@act110mort048]

In terms of story, I'd say the best would be Berseria. Vesperia was just okay for me. The combat was great, but I didn't really like the story that much. When it comes to JRPGs, I guess one of the reasons why people keep coming back to a certain game is the emotional impact of the story. Like, in FFVII, people say it's so overrated, but I believe it's because the story was very deep, especially with that tragic scene of Sephiroth stabbing Aerith. I could say the same for Berseria, with Velvet's tragic story of losing her brother Laphicet by Artorius. Anyway, my top 5 for the Tales series would be: 1) Berseria 2) Abyss 3) Xillia 4) Symphonia 5) Phantasia But you know, that's just me. If you say that Vesperia's your #1, then I won't argue with you. All the Tales games are great. I think I would only disagree with Arise being #2. No offense, but I feel it's like the FFXIII of the Tales series. The story was just too complicated for me and I couldn't even get past that stupid first boss.

[@HisMagnificence]

Seeing Symphonia with 8 whole things above it struck me straight in the face. I was not expecting it.

[@ashcarri]

I've only played Vesperia, Graces F, Symphonia, Xillia, Berseria, Zestiria, and Arise, but I'd put them in this order. 1. Graces F (PS3) - I loved the character systems in place here. It's the only Tales game I ever bothered doing the endgame content and didn't quit after beating the story. 2. Symphonia (Gamecube) - Okay, I lied. I also played the endgame here, but it still loses out to Graces F because the character systems weren't as expansive. This was my entry into the series so there is definitely some bias on where it ranks (and believe me, I know I'm looking through rose-tinted glasses). 3. Xillia (PS3) - The story was great and I had every intention of doing the endgame and getting the sequel... and then never did. 4. Berseria (PS4) - I was enjoying it a lot, but didn't finish it because there was a behemoth lineup of new releases around the time I bought it. It'd probably move up the list if I finished it. 5. Vesperia (Xbox 360)/Arise (PS4) - I played them about equally, but they just couldn't hold my attention with other more interesting games releasing at the time. In both games, the story felt slow and poorly paced. 6. Zestiria (PS4 and PC)- This one is by a pretty large margin too. The world felt incredibly boring. The story wasn't captivating me. The cast was just... fine? Nothing about this game stood out to me. I keep telling myself it's a Tales game and can't be that bad and have tried to play it on five different occasions through the years, but it never grips me. I bought it twice despite it being my least favorite because Zestiria popped up in my Steam recommended list and I completely forgot I actually had it. Quite literally the most forgettable Tales game.

[@SatinFoxx]

The intro being Karma by Bump of Chicken made me almost tear up with nostalgia. It's one of the first songs I learned for piano all the way through, and I can never stop loving this song

[@DodgeThisBam]

One of my favorite things about making a SIC Tales Of Symphonia run is just the sheer amount of content I've found on KZbin and had recommended to me while uploading it! Nice video mate! Quick and to the point!

[@beeniecat9411]

I've recently gotten into the Tales of series starting with Vesperia, Berseria, and Zestiria and I love the music scores in them. Dawn of the Shepherd is my favorite so far.

[@psychosoma5049]

7:33 in tales of xillia 2, in new game plus, the silent Ludger actually speaks his dialogue….

[@Paul_McSeol]

Your number 1 choice is so spot on. Even the opening song ranks among the best of any jrpg. One of my favorite stories of all time with amazing characters. Thanks, David!

[@davidvinc]

Thanks man!

[@NoSuRReNDeR001]

Hve you played Tales of the Abyss ? clearly no-

[@Seisachtheia]

Okay after watching it had to say I really appreciate Tales of Abyss getting what I feel is the proper attention it deserves. Luke is a truly frustrating character but goes through two major character transformations in the story that contextualize his actions in a brilliant way, and the narrative is compelling with some great characters (looking at you Jade). Also, Vesperia is a solid #1, it might be my favourite as well, the combat feels great, it's challenging especially with the 'challenges' that they set for specific encounters, and the protagonist feels like an actual person who's not just swept up in events but has agency in his actions.

[@steveclarke6898]

Tales of Symphonia was my first tales games and remains to this day my all time favorite game. Recently took it upon myself to play every tales game from the beginning, currently on Legendia

[@davidrosa5392]

The concept of interconnected worlds was not introduced in Tales of Eternia. It was maybe the first one where you can travel to both worlds, but the concept in itself it's present since the first title Phantasia. Dhaos, the villan in this game came from another world (Derris-Kharlan) that is directly connected to Aselia (the world where the game unfolds) through the world tree Ygradsill. Dhaos came from is world to destroy Aselia since the people where abusing the mana usage and tree was dying, which inevitably would result in the destruction of both planets. So the concept was a staple since game one, you just don't always visit both worlds in game.

[@FielValeryRTS]

Tales of Abyss was me and my big brother's first Tales series. Hard to believe it was made in 2005... Ahead of its time. The plot twist and character development is really good. We all hated Luke until his character transformation. 😂 The battle system is enjoyable and the music is superb. Well-deserved its rank 3 on the list. Just a game? No, it's more. Made us question our reason to live.

[@AbsolAhm]

Luke is probably the only protagonist ever to make you go from hating him to loving him. Which speaks volumes to the good writing of the game.

[@FielValeryRTS]

@@AbsolAhm Totally agree. His weakness was his arrogance and ignorance. He made up his mind to change and we went from hating him, giving him a chance, and liking his new mindset!

[@subjetividadobjetivaconmak4259]

I personally think Berseria could have been in the top 3, but then again, I haven't played Arise yet...

[@jizzuschrist6252]

ive played tales of phantasia in snes with translation patch back in high school, its one of my favorite games ever.. i remember dying to play symphonia for the gamecube, but sadly i never got the chance.. played berseria for like 20 hours when it released, but didnt like it that much.. and i just finished arise, also didnt enjoy it as much as most people has.. i love doing sidequests and i like a good story in video games, but not when they drag it for what i felt were like 20 hours worth of skits and cutscenes.. i know i can skip them, but im a completionist so its hard for me to ignore anything.. those are the only 3 tales i have played..

[@TrueHunter999]

I really like these games cause they bring up such great and unique stories. I have to say that I really really love Symphonia and i think it's the best one out there, but Xillia 2's story depth is just on a whole new level. I haven't played all of them, but if i had to rank the ones i've played, it would be: Xillia 2, Symphonia, Arise, Vesperia, Xillia 1 and Berseria

[@rolandssavdons7993]

I really enjoyed Berseria but it's battle system felt oversaturated. Still, it felt real good when you combine chain attacks and battle artes.

[@AzureDrag0n1]

I am over 20 hours into Berseria and I still do not completely understand the battle system. It is really complicated. There are Break Souls mechanics, Blast Gauge mechanics, Soul Gauge mechanics, Switch Blasts, martial and magical arts. Oh yeah there are also Warrior and Wizard ventites. I think I am forgetting some other things too.

[@rolandssavdons7993]

@@AzureDrag0n1 i would focus on weaknesses or attacks with an effect (like Stun). I played on third difficulty level and managed to get away with mostly button mashing

[@yancharest2464]

*spoilers I've essentially played all of the tales games, up until Vesperia and I've watched let's plays and/or playthroughs of the other ones, including Arise. That being said, I find it really hard to come up with a tier list for this video game series and so, I ended up coming up with a top three, instead. In third place, it would have to be Tales of the Abyss as well. I'm a sucker, when it comes to philosophy and so, I really do enjoy the fact that the moral of this game's story revolves around the dichotomy between the concept of Determinism (i.e., the Score, the Order of Lorelei and their followers) and Free Will (i.e., those who choose to go against them), as you also touched upon. In second place, it would have to be Tales of Symphonia. Similarly to the previous reason, except that the moral of this game's story revolves around the dichotomy between the concepts of Utopia and Tyranny, instead (i.e., portrayed by Mithos Yggdrasill). In first place, it would have to be Tales of Vesperia as well. Again, for a similar reason, although, the moral of this game's story revolves around the dichotomy between the concepts of Anthropocentrism and Holism, instead (i.e., presented by Duke Pantarei, amongst others). In other words, I like games that make people question things, that they actually used to take for granted, in the real world, by living vicariously, so to speak, through the actions and the experiences of those games' characters; and ultimately, through the moral of their story. I could go on, but I would end writing an essay and I don't have the time, let alone the energy to do so.

[@brrianthananayagam7300]

Play berseria, the story is top tier

[@Stickmanlolz]

Graces F was my very first Tales game, and I was completely overwhelmed by it, not only did I have to learn this new complex system, but also old legacy tech to play optimally? I got lost really fast, and had to give up. Then I bought Vesperia for Switch and the series finally clicked for me, can't wait to try more games before going back to graces eventually.

[@lbennyz5188]

I don't have much experience with tales but I didn't enjoy the way the story and character development in Arise was executed. It felt very incoherent and unfinished in terms of it's narrative in my opinion, having nothing interesting happening for a long time semi-compromised by infodump and a dash of corny melodrama. I'm surprised it gets the reception it does, but the combat was near perfect to me besides all party members having to share one tactic, and I do think the characters would be more likable if they weren't devoid of real growth for large chunks of the story. Dohalim was pretty dang awesome. Much respect to those who disagree with me, just my two cents.

[@NovaTherion]

Tales of berseria will always hold #1 in my heart from the ost/story getting me through my depressing High school life/no friends to filling that spot… Ik dramatic I love it😂

[@RawPower867]

The original Tales of Symphonia doesn't seem to be anywhere on here. I would put it at number 1, over Vesperia.

[@The_Vible]

facts

[@KnightRaymund]

It's#9, after Eternia. Some of his video chapters combine games for some reason. And that is way too low. I would also put it at the top. It's my favorite fir story and characters, though the gameplay is rough these days. Still fun though. Graces f is probably my second favorite for its gameplay.

[@RawPower867]

@@KnightRaymund Judging Tales of Symphonia by the merits of its lousy half-assed spinoff sequel is just painfully idiotic.

[@lucasrinaldi9909]

Nah, Symphonia is not that good in any aspect.

[@MountainHomeJerrel]

Thanks again David. This series is absolutely sprawling. I get lost with all the games I haven't played yet.

[@Wlightning25]

Personally, I just got to the final dungeon in Tales of Vesperia for the first time and I'm not too big a fan of the game. I like the game, but the gameplay was really frustrating at times. I liked Tales of Berseria more which is so far the only other tales game I've played. I do have high hopes for Tales of Arise since I bought the game and I am planning on playing it once I get through Vesperia.

[@edsheeran1243]

Vesperia is a bit overrated to me. The combat is super stiff at the beginning and it takes FOREVER for the story to really get interesting too. Yuri is a fantastic protagonist and among the best in the series, but it takes more than that to have a quality tales game

[@sharebear421]

Complete opposite for me. Felt berseria combat was way too easy and spammy. But when it comes to characters I think vesperia blows beseria out of the water

[@TheNawaf258]

Actually I didn’t have a problem with final dungeon in vesperia I finished it normally

[@Terranigma23]

@@TheNawaf258 same here, the final dungeon of Vesperia is relaly good if we compare with Xillia, Xillia 2, Zestiria, Berseria, Arise. At least this dungeon have some interesting puzzle mechanic to have the optional fell arms.

[@fg009letyrds8]

@@Terranigma23 One thing that's great about Vesperia even compared to Berseria and Arise is that collecting all Fell Arms also makes you unlock the Hidden Final Boss Form, it's a great way to not only make the Final Boss worthy to defeat (even after grinding side quest) because of the rewards and the sheer difficulty of it but also making the Strongest Weapons directly tied to the plot is awesome.

[@tgotti193]

I love vesperia. It was slow with the story at first, but eventually it really picks up. Thanks for getting me back into jrpgs David.

[@tariqmansour9891]

I'm still waiting for Xillia 1&2 pc port

[@Cpt_crabhammer]

Glad to see Vesperia take the top spot. Granted I've only played it and a little of Symphonia and Abyss, Versperia is easily one of my favorite games not just in the series, but of all time.

[@ethanhunt3242]

My personal list would probably flip Symphonia and Vesperia. Vesperia just didnt click with me. Though I played a couple Tales games in a row so I may have just been burned out on Tales by the time I got to it. Id still recommend it though. I havent played Arise yet.

[@tgotti193]

Just finished vesperia and loved it. At first it started kinda slow but it picked up at the end of the first act. Thanks so much for turning me onto this series!

[@sharebear421]

Really hope we get destiny 1/2 remakes and rebirth someday

[@LOREWITHBLAZER]

Tales of abyss will forever have a place in y heart

[@djdjinn6340]

I'd have bumped Berseria up to 1, but overall your list is really solid! This is the first time I've ever thought that about *anyone's* Tales ranking list, so I gotta say I'm impressed~

[@davidvinc]

Glad you enjoyed it and good seeing you on the discord too!

[@NoSuRReNDeR001]

its my num 2 below Abyss

[@carlosdelgado6394]

Thanks for the video I own a few tales games but haven't played one yet. This list helps

[@the_clawing_chaos]

For me, Berseria's, Vesperia, Arise are top three. I just love Berseria's twist on the whole storyline, playing as the anti-hero was fun and engaging. Arise was too cookiecutter story-wise despite the fantastic changes to the combat system, and retrospectively, after being spoiled by the more intuitive combat systems of the modern tales games, its hard to get back into Vesperia, despite the story

[@RawPower867]

I hated Arise's combat system. It requires an absolute mastery of RPG gameplay to get anywhere past the 2nd world and the bosses are all sponges. It feels like they took too much influence from the Souls series and tried to make it as hard as possible.

[@ocruz9797]

@@RawPower867 to each their own. But arise imo is nothing like the souls series in difficulty. I have arise on hard and it isnt bad. Challenging yes but fair. The true difficulty in arise is making money lol

[@fg009letyrds8]

@@RawPower867 lol buddy if Arise is already challenging to you then please don't play Dark Souls games 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@RawPower867]

@@fg009letyrds8 I've played the Souls games and decided that I don't like them. Did you even read my comment?

[@nezkeys79]

Arise lost it's identity as a tales game, but if you compare it to other action rpgs (like YS8), it's really not that good like at all. The dev basically had some fetish for "limitations" to make the game harder and this was manifested in such a disgusting way...enemies have ridiculous hp even on the easier difficulties. For example 100-200 damage per hit when the enemy has 200k hp...awesome fun. Probably plays dark souls 😅 Like fine we get it you want to include a challenge but just leave that for the insane who like playing on chaos, not for people selecting normal difficulty I mean they created a game designed for the 4 face buttons and then mapped jump to one of them reducing the total amount of artes to 3 instead of 4. Objectively awful game design. They did the same with boost strikes on reserve members being mapped to the same palette of the extra 3 artes you get. They also added diminishing returns so if an enemy is weak to water and you spam water artes you are punished for it. Crafted accessory skills dont even work. For example give Kisara (the supposed tank who dies just as easily as anyone else) Increased Aggro L, and Rinwell Drecreased Aggro L then controlled Rinwell...enemies still rush rinwell even if you bought all the guard Aggro skills in Kisara's skill tree. QTEs / flashy finishers to kill an enemy with 1 hp or 50% hp...like seriously nobody cares. A stagger mechanic that doesn't feel organic and lasts for like 5 seconds. No substance whatsoever and it's bizarre that people tout this game as the best ever for gameplay Even if you somehow enjoy the combat you are subjected to 3-4 forced skits eveytime you zone, plus campfire bonding, and more story exposition just while exploring and it's obtrusive asf. Most of it is dull and repetitive, and there are barely any comic relief skits. The best you will get in that regard is hootle and the owl sudequests. They even contradict themselves with their own story like for example Alphen has an Iron Mask but somehow "sees" Shionne in a dress and gets aroused. The Blazing sword isnt affected by water. Alphen doesnt have any burns or scars from using it, or holding Shionne. Towards the end of the game they do something truly awful...5 hours of back to back walking and talking. Once you get through all that (started skipping scenes and shouting at my TV for them to shut up) it's a long dungeon full of hp sponge enemies. Yay 😅 I could go on and on and on about how Arise isn't good with its gameplay loop. Sad because the overall plot is decent

[@DuMaMayDewLay]

I remember the part in tales of symphonia where the entire house is dark and you're supposed to cross but u fall if u tip over. I cried so many times playing that lolol

[@Estellise64]

Tales of Vesperia is also my absolute favorite. The art direction is gorgeous and the story is just well-written. Good choice for number one.

[@LOREWITHBLAZER]

Tales of vesperia has the most badass Protagonist in the franchise

[@neogamer6461]

I've only played and finished 5 Tales games: Arise, Vesperia, Berseria, Symphonia, and Zestiria. Out of those, I would say Arise is a new favorite of mine but I did also enjoy Vesperia's world too. Gameplay-wise, I'd say Arise is the best and the characters all feel unique in combat. I think that Vesperia's story was great but can really do your head in, especially in the final arc. Arise's story had that same issue towards the end but was still great overall.

[@twopeaksnorth8184]

You must try Abyss ^.^

[@neogamer6461]

@@twopeaksnorth8184 I really would like to play Abyss. In fact, it's probably the one I want to play most out of the old titles. But it's a PS2 exclusive and there's been no ports or remasters for the game. I could get it for emulator though.

[@thomasharvey1151]

I’ve been playing Tales since Tales of Destiny released on PS1. I had only really played Squaresoft and various Enix RPGs (And was more than satisfied with them) until that time and Tales of Destiny was kind of a breath of fresh air. An RPG where your weapons are characters themselves and battles that made me think of Street Fighter was something I hadn’t expected lol. I’ve been heavily enjoying Tales ever since. Tales of Graces F was my favorite until I finally got to experience Vesperia for the first time with the Definitive Edition. To me it’s just the perfect balance of everything that has made Tales what it is. Arise is really good but I’m concerned that Tales could lose its originality and forget what made it what it is if they continue in that direction. Basically it’s like..don’t try to be just like all the other games out there. Tales stands apart and does so for a reason, that’s why we always come back to it. Please don’t forget that…I’d really like to see some remasters of Tales games that are starting to slip away into time. I think Abyss is more than past due for another release. Really I’d say why not just do most of them lol

[@lostpunkrock]

I enjoyed the Tales games (the ones that I played) Abyss was my fav one out of them. I did have an issue with them though in that every tales game that i played had that moment where I just got tired and had to start pushing through to just finish it off. I prefer the Ys series purely because I find they stick to their story as opposed to dragging out stuff as long as the tales games do.

[@grondebarbe3997]

Only finish phantasia and symphonia. This last one made my cry

[@lendri5996]

I never got into Berseria, I don’t know what it is with me but I found it so boring, the characters didn’t grow to me and the battle system is the worst …

[@singmeunder]

So glad to see Tales of Vesperia ranked at the top! This was the game that got me into the Tales series way back when. Abyss, Graces, and Xillia also hold a special place in my heart… While I did enjoy the characters in Zestiria, it’s definitely this game that led me to a falling out with the franchise. I also rank it on the lower side purely out of boredom (but not quite as low as Symphonia 2). I was so excited to buy it when it released, but… yeah. Bump of Chicken’s Karma appeared in my recommended for the first time in years, and the nostalgia had me wondering about the franchise. I’m glad to hear that Berseria and Arise are great games! Definitely will check them out

[@MrRPGcrazy]

This is such an awesome series. I am gonna give you my ranking and Its going to be hard to rank these lol. I agree with alot of what you said even if my own ranking quite different. 1.Tales of Arise 2.Tales of Berseria 3.Tales of Xillia 4.Tales of Vesperia 5.Tales of the Abyss (Played it once and it was over 10 years ago, remember really loving it but I need to replay it) 6. Tales of Graces F 7. Tales of Xillia 2 8. Tales of Symphonia 9. Tales of Zestiria 10. Tales of Destiny (played it a long time ago, only remember that I did not like it and did not finish the game)

[@GusionASWG11]

Tales of Eternia (released under the name Tales of Destiny 2) was the first game that pulled me into the "Tales" series. I just started replaying it on my old PS2 a couple days ago, still a great game and RPG storyline.

[@chillchill2779]

My top 3 Tales of games are probably Tales of Xillia, Tales of Symphonia (GC), and Tales of Berseria. Symphonia has the nostalgia for me since it's the one that really got me interested in the series, but Xillia and Berseria I had the most fun with the combat in those games when they were new. I wish I could get into Vesperia since everyone seems to love that one the most but I'm not sure what it is about it but it doesn't really catch my interest, I really like Yuri and Repede though!

[@samuelline9573]

Vesperia is just so fantastic that I can't even describe it. I'm so happy it was number 1

[@Ziksell]

Tales of Xillia the best tales of series. Masterpiece!

[@funnicabbagecop6759]

Your list is close to mine, but since im a Zestiria sucker I'd put it higher on top 3, and Abyss as number one. Vesperia didnt click well with me cuz the story focus is pretty messy, characters are cool tho. Other than those the entire list is similiar to what I would make. Greatly appreciated vid!✨

[@dringypie]

Great vid as always David. The tales series for me has always been one I've dabbled with and this vid has made me want to jump in and play some of them properly

[@jego207]

Tales of Destiny and Eternia hold a special place in my heart, too! That's why I have at least 3 more in my backlog and all of them belong in the top 5! This is just a cozy RPG series for me and I don't mind savoring it even at a slow pace.

[@mnmmp767]

Tales of the Abyss is my kind of Story, Love the plot twist and the build of the character from a noble jerk to a hero.

[@Ya_Mosura]

Haven't played this series at all apart from a couple of hours of Vesperia, but I can already tell I'm gonna love it.

[@truindividual]

Keep going man, it is a hidden gem

[@FiammaEterna93]

My favourite is Symphonia the story is beautiful and I put Arise at second as well, it's amazing, in number 3 probably Xillia 1 since it was my first tales of game :)

[@NegiTaiMetal011]

I love the Tales series. I admit I like it more than the Final Fantasy series, though I do like a little Final Fantasy. However there are some Tales series I'm not into. Vesperia and Symphonia are definitely my most favorites of the Tales series. The rest are as follows: Abyss, Phantasia, Zestiria, Berseria, Xillia, Graces F.

[@DXcellence718Returns]

Im currently playing tales of zestiria as my first one. I started with beseria for a bit but stopped early on to play zestiria since it enhances the beseria experience like you mentioned. Awkward place to start in general for the tales series but despite the hate it gets im mostly enjoying myself(it was the same with final fantasy 13 in which i liked). My tales experience can only go up from here anyways by starting from one of their bottoms :D

[@ralphjb]

Vesperia is the only one I've played but it's one of my favorite RPG's of all time. Looking forward to diving into the rest of this series.

[@featuringdez7456]

Abyss&Xillia are the best imo but it’s always nice to see where they rank amongst others list and it’s nice to hear multiple opinions on why others prefer other entries in the series. Great video!

[@CedricAda]

Duuude your channel has been a revelation to me in the last few weeks, culminating in me picking up Vesperia for the switch. Its SO GOOD (after I got through that awful wolf boss in the forest anyway! hahaha)

[@michaeledes1111]

Great video! I have only played 3 games in the series so far (Symphonia, Hearts R, and now Arise). But I really want to go explore more of these!

[@kemmy15]

Tales of Symphonia should have been higher than that the story was solid and the features were amazing. Like the EX sphere perks like counter and rate chains. And the s-type to t-type system where you can learn different Artes depending on what or who you're fighting. Can't forget about one of the best things the unison combos that added an extra layer to the attacks. Or like a stun finisher to your attack to either lay down some extra damage or try to finish the boss off with something it's weak to so you can clutch the win. But I agree Symphonia 2 could have been better overall. They had a good opening story but it fell flat with the battle system.

[@MrJasePark]

Shooketh at Symphonia being so low, thank goodness I was sitting down 🤣 Loved what you said about Xillia 2, I've always had such a soft spot for it and it is often forgotten!

[@NFGBlinkAC]

I'm just getting into Tales. I have Arise and Vesperia and now I'm now even more pumped to get into this series!

[@thereaver8083]

I would have put Symphonia much higher on the list but I am biased towards it because it was my first Tales game. Berseria should've been higher as well imo but that's me. Vesperia is a fucking masterpiece though and I totally agree with it's slot at first place (even if I did play the "inferior" xbox version). Haven't played enough of Arise yet to form an opinion but I'm loving it so far. Great vid.