Tales of Symphonia Review | Local Pinhead Saves World(s)

[@PMSeymour]

There’s a dark subtext that I noticed when it’s revealed the entire campaign for the chosen to make a new vessel for Martel, It’s clear Mithos wants a female vessel cause it’s his sister, but can’t make that blatantly obvious so the crusade also selects males for the ruse…male chosen are always destined to be discarded Which makes Zelos betrayal line “My whole life is a joke” Hits SO MUCH HARDER

[@Leont14]

I have to say, the entire hot-cold skit coffe is amazing. I remember the scene vividly when I was young, this actually made me laugh out loud. Instant like.

[@lucixcloud]

I can't stop coming back to it it's so funny 36:11

[@BAIGAMING]

1:47:30 Not just that, Kratos' AI will even prioritize healing Lloyd.

[@Majuular]

That's an awesome detail!

[@Neogears1312]

@@Majuular He even prioritizes earlier than others. By default the game stops everything its doing to heal a character by 25% if not specified to do anything. But Kratos drops everything by 50% for lloyd.

[@crimsonstar108]

Raine gets the biggest heals, but Kratos can combine some of his spells and become a pretty decent hybrid healer.

[@kingjunior525]

This game. 800 hours poured into this as a kid. The amount of changes in character interactions and story beats depending on what and when you did things was amazing.

[@nolynylon]

I think I played it 7 consecutive times between 2004 and 2006

[@toxxikat4771]

"oh sh*t I HAVE TO MAKE IT?!" is the most relatable and accurate statement on the internet. I feel these words every day a solid review of Enderal: Forgotten Stories doesn't exist

[@quarreneverett4767]

What counts as solid i seen several detail videos :)

[@skunthundler]

Idk what he meant by that though. There's already like an 8 hour video going over all of the Phantasia games.

[@ConstrictorDevlin]

huh? at the very least warlockracy has two excellent videos about enderal (and even one about the prequel, nehrim)

[@OminousToast]

@@ConstrictorDevlin Was going to comment this, all of Warlockracy's videos are fantastic

[@InvadeNormandy]

@@ConstrictorDevlin Strat-edgy as well.

[@shamelssly3624]

Seriously, your channel is easily one of the best I have recently come across. The content is fresh, funny and most importantly - based in reality. There's no formula, and you talk about these games in such a casual way that its engaging and entertaining. You manage to make what initially appears to be a "critical long-analysis" type of video and instead transform it into a fun conversation. Keep it up.

[@Majuular]

Really appreciate that!

[@gagejoseph91]

I've 100%ed this game. Yes, 100%. That means all items (three playthroughs) and ALL TITLES (7 PLAYTHROUGHS). Yes, the means doing the mf'in uncle game and that goooooddddd awful red light green light game. Also getting 1mil casino tokens. Every tech, every mystic - I even beat the game 18 times just to get 36 Ex Gem Maxs from the final boss so EVERY character had a max gem on every slot, including Kratos. My current record for beating the final boss is 17 seconds for both forms combined. I. Love. This. Game. To an admittedly unhealthy degree.

[@WetBoy]

Bruh youre not even close to me

[@veghesther3204]

The only problem with that is that on a 1st run I barely had 1500 to 2000 grade to buy ANYTHING from the grade shop so I at least bought the TOTAL tech uses to transfer on a 1st run since theirs NO way I'd want to have to REcast ALL spells 50 times on a 2nd + run at all. So I couldn't really afford to transfer over ALL ex gems owned on a 1 run I did however with some of that 1500 to 2000 grade transfer over total tech uses as well as the CURRENT skills party members have ex gem wise WITHOUT actually transferring the gems itself I also won't ever touch the games casino so to buy that 1 Devils arm weapon for 250 chips I just converted 125,000 GALD to those 250 chips and bought that Devils Arm weapon that way. It took me around those 7 playthroughs to MAX out the Grade shop itself.

[@lordrikudouzero9119]

😱😱😱😱

[@mookiestewart3776]

@@veghesther3204 how was that all the grade you had?? Ive never had that little grade after beating the game lol

[@gagejoseph91]

@@WetBoy In terms of what? Number of times played? I've played the game around 100 times or so, which is obviously less than the typical speedrunner. The comment was just meant to showcase two things. 1) 100% completion of this game takes a lot of full playthroughs, and getting EX Gem maxes on every character takes more than double that many playthroughs and is completely unnecessary, and 2) The time it takes me to beat BOTH final bosses is cumulatively less than it takes for the world record speedrunner to beat the first form alone. Beating both forms in barely 17 seconds obviously requires being max level, but also an enormous amount of enemy-kill-grinding to power up the devil arms across four different characters. Plus beneficial titles, but that's automatic. But if you've really topped stuff like that, then I commend your adoration for the game! This game is worth such love!

[@Wimbell93]

Man at the beginning of the video I thought "There's no way that he can keep up this level of quality for over 2 hours" But he did

[@Petronia911]

1:21:05 Another thing to consider with this part. This wasn't the only reason why Yggdrasill struck down Ozette. Kratos is looking for Sacred Wood, something that can only be found in Ozette. And we know that throughout the story, Pronyma is told to essentially keep tabs on Kratos and report anything suspicious. We learn later that Kratos intends to use Sacred Wood to overthrow Yggdrasill as part of his plan. So Ozette being struck down is also Yggdrasill making absolutely sure there's no loose ends that can screw him over.

[@delbanking9940]

Lpl

[@noisepollution4473]

It's also, I thought, because Ozette is particularly nasty in It's discrimination against half-elves. That's more of a tertiary reason, but it adds to the meaning of Its destruction in a symbolic way.

[@Ekkolocationzz]

I feel like i've watched A LOT of ToS videos in my time here on KZbin (I freaking love this game) and this is one of the best i've come across so far. The JOKES, the pacing you took for the story, the narration, the edits, and those god awful (amazing) MS Paint drawings showed how much time and effort you put into this video aside from all of the in-game time you put in collecting footage. I also grew up on this game and come back to it from time to time and so the nostalgia I feel whenever I get to watch a new ToS video here is exactly like seeing an old friend just like you said. You did this game justice, I hope you do more Tales games in the future. Nothing like finding a hidden gem channel like yours, keep it up!

[@Majuular]

Thanks so much, glad you liked it!

[@tylermontgomery3513]

6:22 For the love of God, I am sick and tired of so many KZbinrs using their videos as a dumping ground for all their misery and toxic thoughts, if you're so sad then DO something about it, otherwise keep it to yourself, no one wants to hear that crap.@@Majuular

[@Arizona-kj4yp]

Lol, its a half second clip, meant as a joke. Get over yourself.

[@Ekkolocationzz]

yeah idk what dude's deal is. Majuular literally joked and said "I feel that" and moved right on with the video LMAO.@@Arizona-kj4yp

[@t.h.mcelroy6597]

For me, Symphonia is *that* RPG. The one that lies at the core of me. My sense of morality, my love of dark storytelling, my appreciation for the vast spectrum of fantasy, scifi, and animation. All owed in no small part to Symphonia. If ever there were a JRPG, let alone Tales game, deserving of a true remake, it's Symphonia 💛 Thanks for making this review. Can't wait for more of your content 🤙

[@raarasunai4896]

Call me a fool if you want, but Lloyd’s incurable positivity was actually a big influence in my life. Kept me from going insane with a very abusive grandmother

[@tiedtoanalien]

Congrats for making it through that.

[@raarasunai4896]

@@tiedtoanalien Thanks. I have my GF to thank for that. Took a chance and moved across the country, leaving grandma behind. Never looked back, never regretted it.

[@filadelfoneto431]

Glad you made it through man, i know how important a character can be to help us get through hard times in life. To me Sora from Kingdom Hearts was that character.

[@No-Ink]

I'm on the same boat but it was with my father. He was a horrible person and I felt like I couldn't leave. But this game helped me see that what seems impossible isn't. Lloyd is a fantastic protagonist. One of the best in my opinion.

[@AC-hj9tv]

​@@raarasunai4896f that b. Cheers to a new life

[@masonyoung169]

You added a voice to many once young people’s experiences. I used to have a bunch of friends come over and we would use 4 game cube controllers to play TOS, or toast as we used to call it. Super well done friend.

[@an8strengthkobold360]

Well, I'm not going to be able to call it anything other then Toast now.

[@Tacyturne]

Fun fact about the Governor Dorr's death scene at 31:47 : in the first NGC version the game actually gave you the choice to either lie or to tell him the truth about his daughter's death. But that choice was eventually scrapped out in the PS2 version as Lloyd now automatically lies to Dorr which would be the base for future installement. I don't know why they did that but it could be because of what you said about Lloyd, it suits him better. Though it's kind of a shame in my opinion as it was one of the few morally ambiguous choice the player had in the game and therefore one of the most memorable. It's always interesting when games give the player morally tough decision to make. Awesome vid btw ! you earn my sub

[@TheLordDhaos]

I can confirm that the name of the Great Kharlan Tree after it has been replanted is indeed Yggdrasill. In the opening moments of Tales of Phantasia, the first game in the series, you find a tree called Yggdrasill which is protected by the goddess Martel. It was an amazing reference, and most people will never know due to how old Phantasia is.

[@KirbyFanDude]

Well, keep spreading the good word. I and others now have heard and know it from you as well.

[@flags4595]

This is the first time I read that most ppl don't know the name. Back in 2005 when I first played the game, most forum posts talked about the tree's name and Yggdrasil was basically the consensus. But yeah, all those forums have been dead since 2010 probably so ig that info was lost. Good on you to spread the word! :D

[@chrisj320ac3]

I sincerely hope they add it to snes online or straight up port it at some point.

[@MewSage86]

Don’t forget that ToP is also supposed to be a sequel to TOS. Symphonia takes place 4,000 years before Phantasia.

[@noisepollution4473]

These Tales prequels are always great, I guess! Phantasia never really did much for me (probably mostly due to it showing its age when I played it; also heard the GBA port we got of it is a bad port) but Symphonia is my favorite. Zesteria is my least favorite or second least favorite in the series and Berseria is top 3 for me.

[@Ogre32890]

I was a little surprised you didn't talk about Mithos' last words to Lloyd. "Farewell my shadow, you who stand at the end of the path I chose not to follow." It isn't really an essential part but I was always a little struck with how Mithos recognizes that perhaps if he had done things differently he may have stood in the same place as Lloyd in the end. But also affirms that given the opportunity, he would have made the same choices again. Regardless of Mithos' own ideals, it's like he has a respect for Lloyd's as well and it's almost like he knew things may eventually end up as they did.

[@magicannonwitch6163]

Given the severity of choices, Mithos had essentially two paths in either letting Martel die or trying to save her. He knew it was morally wrong to keep her alive, but he loved her dearly. Lloyd had no attachment to Martel in the way that Mithos did, so Mithos went with his path knowing the other was valid, too. It's how he can acknowledge Lloyd as an equal, someone who isn't tied down by family sentiments and capable of making a choice Mithos couldn't.

[@Maniacman2030]

​​@@magicannonwitch6163The Church? The Renegades? Cruxis? The Desians? He had built so much on the backs of millions, caused so much suffering and death, that he must've felt beyond any sort of redemption and figured he may as well keep going and hope he can still succeed at his original goal. At some point, he just went total psychopath due to everything he had seen and done. At the end, he sees the choice he should've made, but his sentimentality for Martel caused him tunnel vision, so he never saw the possibility. Even if his Sister would've gladly sacrificed herself to see it through. I find that last statement ironic, as the ultimate goal of the Chosen is Sacrifice, but Mithos refused to let Martel die due to his refusal to let go. Maybe I'm reading more into this than is necessary, but even so, it's fun sometimes to ponder things about fictional stories.

[@douglaslizak8915]

Fun fact: Tales of Symphonia is a distant prequel to Tales of Phantasia, the first game in the series. In that game it's confirmed that The Great Kharlan Tree's name is, in fact, Bobson Dugnutt

[@Aflay1]

Lloyd, you friggin buffoon.

[@quentinlemaitre2998]

The tree of Sugondese Nuttss

[@joshuaryanbonifacio2710]

@@quentinlemaitre2998 😂😂

[@1k_Synth]

Sleve micdichael

[@matthewlosito600]

Fun fact the games aren’t connected

[@KoiinuNe]

i've played this game 3 times and did not know about food helping with tension, relationship values or basiclly 95% of the mini games/side quests you mentioned. like wow. some stuff you recapped helped clarify things and other things made me have more questions. I usually don't like kid characters but for some reason, Genis was my fave. without knowing, i choose Genis for most options. great recap and review! edit: can't wait for the older brother review!

[@Majuular]

Despite giving him a hard time, we love our Genis. Thanks for watching!

[@coltonowens2742]

This game was a really big deal for me. I played it at 14, when I could grasp a jrpg good enough to understand it. The plot twists in retrospect, are pretty standard and predictable, but for me at the time it was new, and I still remember how much the "big" one blew my mind at the time. I still think this game does allot of amazing things more then a decade after playing it for the first time. It points out how stupid judging someone for physical aspects is, without being preachy and condescending about it. Lloyd was also a huge inspiration for me, being just a little older then me. This game will always hold a very special place for me, even if it isn't my favorite tales game these days (TOTA is my favorite these days).

[@bigtimbolim]

I did not know you could make synopsis-reviews this funny. This had me rolling non-stop, thank you

[@DarkAuraLord]

The English cast of this game was honestly incredible, and was the reason I become interested in learning about english VAs in video games and anime.

[@Majuular]

So good! Few JRPGs from the era hold up as well.

[@XenogearSolid]

Plus, the "I lied" scene loses so much of its charm if not using the English dub.

[@AC-hj9tv]

What did you learn

[@xaszholazx]

Dawg, your content is smartly written and funny as well... Keep these in-depth reviews coming! (at your own time, dont wanna burn out!)

[@Maguspwns2]

Just found your stuff and you're great. I can't imagine how long this took, but I appreciate all the effort in the writing and editing. My take on the meaning of the title is that it refers to both worlds finding a way to exist in harmony, but I could be wrong.

[@Majuular]

I agree, I think "Symphonia" must refer to them working in tandem, like instruments in a symphony orchestra. Glad you enjoyed!

[@quarreneverett4767]

@@Majuular i see kind of pike shining resonance refrain

[@LOREWITHBLAZER]

Tales of symphonia was my introduction to this beloved series but Tales of the Abyss will forever be my favorite

[@alexanderluna4598]

Symphonia 2 was my introduction and my favorite is also abyss. That game really became the pinnacle of everything the series had been leading up to.

[@Majuular]

I oughta play Abyss for the simple fact that I share a name with the protagonist.

[@LOREWITHBLAZER]

@@Majuular trust me at first I hated the protagonist but he became my favorite plus he's voice by Yuri Lowenthal

[@RazorBladezX]

Tales of Legendia was my introduction..that game has a special place in my heart. Then I found Tales of the Abyss, then Symphonia

[@skydonkey9515]

Omg same here, Abyss is my favorite with Vesperia being second.

[@ThePokeRalls]

Thank you for putting this much effort into my favourite JRPG of all time. I've played this game more than a dozen times, absolutely adore it. Lloyd and the crew will always be in my heart

[@toothycookie]

I gotta say, I really LOVE that in 2022 there are still people creating content for Tales games released before the PS3 lol One of the few games I've completed collections in. Childhood was A Time. Thank you for your video, it was great.

[@JameboHayabusa]

I agree that if this game didn't have a relationship system Lloyd would probably end up with collette, but there's definitely a lot of chemistry between him and the other characters. I only ever went the Kratos route though. Always wanted to see what happens with Regal. Also I always felt like this game was a mishmash of all my favorite squaresoft games. It's got the dual worlds plot from FFV. Finding summons and releasing their mana to fix the world plot from Secret of Mana. The whole girl going to sacrifice herself after a pilgrimage plot twist from FFX. I'm sure there's others I'm missing, but I remember having a good chuckle at that realization.

[@jjmara01]

I do agree. Like I really loved the relationship and connection of Lloyd and Sheena. It feels so real and they do feel super supportive. Like they be best friends outside Genus

[@Cheezitnator]

I always thought ToS was a better pilgrimage sacrifice story than FFX because of the well founded relationships. Also Tidus is insufferable and throws a tantrum like a baby when he finds out. Lloyd figures out the truth on his own and respects Collette enough let her make her own decision and helps her any way he can.

[@ZX-Gear]

@Cheezitnator To be fair to Tidus,he is an outsider and a 1st Worlder who gets yeeted into a 3rd World. Most of ya'll would buckle faster if put in his shoes.

[@1SpicyMeataball]

​Wow, way to miss the point of Tidus' character.. "Throws a tantrum", yeah, he just found out loads of people, including the woman he cares about, are grist for the mill in a false dogma to defeat an highly destructive force that can wipe whole villages off the map​ and it's all for nothing because Sin keeps coming back. But yeah sure. How dare he value peoples lives and not "respect Yunas own decision" to be a pawn to a death cult. 🤡 @@Cheezitnator

[@natester2342]

Man you're so good at this bud I hope your channel explodes you deserve it, well made critique and hilarious to boot keep it up

[@dragoniota]

Just finished a 4th re-watch of this after watching your DotNW review and I've gotta say the dubbed voice acting in this game is truly iconic. So many strong moments are amplified by the VA performances to the point that they've stuck with me for decades. I can't recall any game from this time period resonating in that way with me. The JP VA is also very good but for English speakers I struggle to see a reason to not play it dubbed (at least for the first playthrough). It's also amazing how incredibly rewatchable and engaging your content is even for games I haven't played. I've watched all of your other reviews multiple times now and your content now sits among my favorites on KZbin. Stellar work!

[@lilben4184]

How can we go on a journey to regenerate the world when we can't even save the people right in front of us?! 😔

[@rionaka8835]

Someone may have pointed this out already, but if not, I believe in the japanese audio track Lloyd actually does name the tree: Yggdrasil, like you said. For whatever reason, it's left ambiguous in the English version. Probably so you could imagine it being whatever you want, instead of connecting the game to Tales of Phantasia (that's right, this game is a prequel to the first Tales game).

[@tit-an-nium5673]

Great video, all the edits and comedy is gold, lmfaooo especially 36:09 omgggg. Keep up the good work! Every few years I watch TOS videos and I'm glad people still play and post reviews.

[@wires8054]

Bruh, woke up to over 2 hours of Symphonia Musings/critics, well placed memes, and a sprinkle of self-deprecating humour. Man, it got me to get up out of bed to go get a coffee and watch in the heated loungeroom. Its also pissing down rain. I didn’t expect such comfiness to greet me on this day. Thank you.

[@DurdleDers]

I just wanna say that I found your stuff a while back, and immediately subbed and watched all your videos. I love game review/let's plays that are done with this level of detail and passion. The editing and humor is spot on. Looking forward to all the future content.

[@blaked7532]

I actually like the "take a second to relax and adjust your posture" reminder halfway-ish through. Actually made me think of how i was sitting and yeah, my lower back was starting to get tense without realizing it, even if it was a sell moment for the patreon.

[@RoniDraws]

the possibility of changing how some events play out is one of my favorite things about this game and why i replayed it so much, the most notable for me being, instead of heading to palmacosta, going back around on land towards the tower of mana first, that makes it so Sheena ambushes you on different places and joins you before the seal of water and has her be present for Rayne's washtub boat scene

[@DodgeThisBam]

EDIT: I was wrong on this. I think all that happened was that I said “…got it.” Instead of “What did you say?!” A small detail that blew my mind was character friendships with Lloyd can carry across and it can result in slightly different dialogue. I hated how much Collette was forced on you and actually looked up a guide on GameFAQs to make her hate me. When Collette asks Kratos to let Lloyd come along to the temple at the start of the game Lloyd thanks her for the kind words and she USUALLY exclaims "It's the truth!" However on my second play though after bottoming out her friendship she instead said "Don't mention it."

[@Majuular]

I can hear the "It's the truth!" in my head, so that's really interesting.

[@DodgeThisBam]

@@Majuular I misremembered Zelos's reaction when winning when he betrays you and now I'm terrified I remembered this wrong as well. Only a few bosses to go so I'll know soon enough.

[@DodgeThisBam]

Looks like that was a fever dream too. I’ll farm a bit for abbysion and feed her another few hundred bell peppers just to be sure!

[@Someone-bf9ml]

NO WAY DUDE that's an awesome detail i didn't know that could happen lol

[@DodgeThisBam]

@@Someone-bf9ml I was wrong on this. I think all that happened was that I said “…got it.” Instead of “What did you say?!” Sorry.

[@xx_pit_xx8492]

Tales of content??? In depth???? Talking even about the sidequest??? Okay this is really good stuff really enjoyable to watch and also works as a good recap of the story if you need it, because they drop you with 10484 plot twist as you say multiple times in the video. But yeah, hope this video and the rest of the stuff does good it deservs it

[@ThePokeRalls]

Some other points about Symphonia: All of the towns have unique music and each character has their own theme. This is pretty standout for jrpgs which often use repeated music. Some early Sylvarant sidequests have extra dialogue/scenes if you wait until you return later with the Tethe'alla crew (the Genis exam sidequest in Palmacosta for example). Skits are fully voiced in the Ps3 version if you have Japanese voices on!

[@doxiedomian]

I've played this game 20 times and never knew this. Oh well good thing the remake is coming out soon

[@SamuraiSam]

Outstanding video! Worth noting that, if you're going to play multiplayer, there's a big flaw in the Gamecube version, as the camera focuses only on player one. That's fixed in all future releases, as it zooms out so that all players are always on the screen. Also, one thing not mentioned is that Symphonia is a distant prequel to the first Tales game, Phantasia. And in Phantasia the World Tree is called Yggdrasil, which heavily implies that that's what Lloyd named it.

[@Majuular]

Interesting! I was friendless in Seattle during the making of this video, so thanks for the info on multiplayer.

[@SomeRandomGuy12x]

Solid review! Since you mentioned why Sylvaranti would know about Gnome, a Tethe'allan summon spirit: I actually think this strengthens the internal mythology and logic of the game. Sylvarant would know of Gnome because of its shared culture and history with Tethe'alla before Mithos transformed the world. At one point, Gnome did exist there. What I find more interesting is how magic users could cast magic of all elements from either world, since technically not all elements' mana would have existed in both worlds. Or perhaps it does exist, through the mana links...

[@HimeTakamura]

What a fantastic video. Symphonia was one of the first games I got for the gamecube and I was absolutely obsessed with it. It was unlike anything I'd ever played before and honestly none of the Tales games I've played since have the same charm as this one. As much of a Japanese voice purist as I am usually, I absolutely agree that the English cast for Symphonia really blew it out of the water. I'm really glad my husband found this video and showed it to me, it was two and a half hours very well spent. You're incredibly funny and engaging to watch, I'll definitely share your videos with as many people as I can so you can get the recognition you deserve. I am very curious and excited to see what you have to say about Dawn of the New World.

[@HollowToob]

My all time favorite game in history. 8+ playthroughs. I'm not done but this so far is the best thing I've ever seen related to this game. This seriously needs a lot more credit. It's 4:30am and I work tomorrow but I'm staying up and watching this whole thing. Idec. This is just incredible..

[@TeenAgeZiggy]

This is by far the best video I've seen on this game. I loved the analysis, the humor and the God tier pacing in your storytelling. Thanks for helping me remember one of my childhood games 👌

[@Scatter_Guy]

I grew up playing this game for 1000's of hours. Can't imagine how long it took for you to edit this video but the quality, humor, and takes were perfect. Really enjoyed watching it all. :) Thanks

[@cantbehelped]

Its rare to find a content creator that vibes with my own personal experiences so closely and accurately. I have been dying for someone to really break down the Tales series in this exact way, I have even tried and failed to write a script for a Phantasia review a number of times myself. But this video is a masterpiece. Symphonia is my favorite Tales of game (probably because of bias from playing it first as a 12 year old) but that decade long stretch from Symphonia to Xillia 2 was the peak of the series imo. I hit the bell because of this video, you earned it.

[@LeBatakum]

1:41:07 That Arrested Development reference was hilarious

[@666slateran666]

Recently discovered your channel through the legend of dragoon vid, definitely stoked that your covering one of my favorite jrpgs growing up. Tried to go back to it and it definitely hasn't aged the best outside of combat lol but its still super charming.

[@samuraimeowz4379]

Having just discovered your channel about a week ago and loving your content, this has made my weekend

[@urfinal9]

Watched several of your videos now and your editing style really works for long-form video like this.

[@davidlejenkins]

Man, I loved this video. It hit my nostalgia bone in all the right ways. I loved how thorough and entertaining it was. I don't have the time I used to, and can't go back and replay this game, but listening to this video at work was the next best thing.

[@GOAToatoat]

Wow, Lloyd sounds exactly like Max from Dark Cloud 2. The memories man.

[@OfficialDjTalksick]

Dude keep reviewing games you are on the level of bigger reviewers with humor to back it as well Watched this video 3 times one in my room and two times while driving letting the audio play 10/10 keep at it bro

[@Majuular]

That's awesome, I'm glad to hear they're rewatchable/relistenable. thanks so much!

[@EZog58]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned it here, but the tree is indeed named Ygdrassil, as Symphonia is a prequel to the original Tales game Phantasia where both the tree Ygdrassil and Dheris Karlan play an important role. Great video!

[@keylimesatellite2835]

I swear you made this video just for me; it just took me a while to find it. Symphonia was the first video game I ever beat. I played it into the ground, printed out a MASSIVE guide (using way too much ink---my parents can't have been happy), and even recorded the ending credit theme onto a tiny tape recorder just so I could listen to it again. Just watching this I could feel the muscle memory of all those fights and dungeons. Absolutely brilliant video!

[@caro_lion]

Thank you for creating this! I was looking for a retrospective as this game absorbed my life when it was released, but didn’t find one as extensive or energetic as yours!

[@caro_lion]

Ps. Love all the Arrested Development references!

[@Majuular]

@@caro_lion Those are blue too!

[@koaga224]

Fantastically done. I’d love to see you cover other popular 1990-2010 era rpg’s.

[@apoema42]

I actually like Genis, yes he is younger and does not have a lot of back story. But his relationship with Lloyd is quite endearing, Lloyd is THE one friend that he is able to make across races, their relationship play a big role in ToS overall theme of ending discrimination. Lloyd needs Genis intelligence and dedication to do through school and to solve a myrid of problems they find along the way, at the same time Genis needs Lloyd blind positivity to face a world that is heavily discriminatory against him. In my play through I actively put effort in making my relationship with Genis stronger, and, yes I got him to go with me in the dragon ride scene.

[@merk40tharealest13]

NERD!!

[@Neogears1312]

I’ve also liked that he kind of develop ls into a worse person. He’s less confident and more xenophobic by the end of the game than the beginning and I respect the idea of having negative character development. Makes the cast feel more real.

[@notmyfullname598]

I don't like that he is racist and insults people a lot

[@notmyfullname598]

But I have not finished the game and haven't realized that he is discriminated against yet so my mind might change

[@1SpicyMeataball]

@@Neogears1312 It never sat well with me, that he was more than happy to side with Mithos over Lloyd at some points in the game, just because they're both half elves.

[@Hexagonaldonut]

36:08 This sequence is easily one of my favorite scenes in the game in no small part because of the delivery of Lloyd's lines, but the way you edited this scene immediately gave me whiplash from a YTP of a *different* scene from this game that I first watched literally like 12+ years ago.

[@FlyinTonite]

Cam Clarke as Kratos is the real MVP here. "Don't die before I do Lloyd... my son." Fucking... chills.

[@Aflay1]

For me it's "Feel the pain. **Stab** of those inferior beings **Slice** as you BURN in hell." Especially effective when you consider he is avenging his wife, and the man who facilitated the event constantly rubbing it in throughout the journey is the guy getting stabbed.

[@AC-hj9tv]

😭😭😭

[@technobabble123]

For me, Shiloh Strong as Zelos is the best one, considering he had the most embarassing dialogue, and it requires a lot of skill to pull it off without sounding cringe

[@kieranc747]

Ahhh it's so nostalgic to see the gameplay of this game. Regal was by far my preferred character to control in battle once I had him. Something about those fast and relentless flurries of kicks just never got old

[@spoopskeletal2873]

It's a good day when you see a new majuular video. It's a great day when it's a double length video. You've been workin your ass off the whole time huh? Good on ya

[@shanereynolds9618]

Let me say this...I have watched this video spread out over 4 days and I loved every second of it. TOS is one of my most favorite games of all time!! I wish they would put it on Switch! Anyways, you did a fantastic job on this! This is a definite subscribe!!

[@aninymouse1651]

Your wish is granted, it will be released on Switch in January!

[@JaredClaunch]

Warms my heart to see how well this game is remembered

[@crimsonstar108]

I loved the "best friend" mechanic that allowed the story to emphasize Lloyd's relationship with whomever he gets the most affection points. It kind of sucks that you need to be actively mean to Colette to have anyone besides her become your best friend, but I applaud the amount of work done, especially using the GameCube's limited hardware to do it. I only ever successfully made Genis and Kratos my besties, but it's possible to do it with anyone. And it really helps make the New Game plus satisfying, and gives you a reason to keep farming Grade to unlock even more options for new runs.

[@frostshock13]

To this day I will always remember Lloyd lines "You Bastard" and "Who are you to ask for my name?"

[@JohnOethGuitar]

I'm loving this series so much. Thanks for these videos!

[@lboy9889]

This is a masterfully written analysis video. This is exactly the video that the Symphonia community needed right now. I am currently on my 14th playthrough of the pc version. I’m trying to get Ex Gem M’s for each party member.

[@36gamers]

I literally was looking for a 2 hour video on tales of symphonia for YEARS. Like literally for a little over a decade. I'm now 2 years late on this video, but I am so happy the hole has finally been filled.

[@USHCCode_Blue]

I love the video. Really well made. While it wasn't my first tales of game (That one belongs to Abyss) It is definately one that shaped my child hood and im glad this can be made to share this with more people. Great work!

[@lowkeyzut]

Excellent video! A few things to point out: - The game is called "Symphonia" because throughout the game you make several choices that make your playthrough unique, and so you craft your own "Symphony." - Kratos always being available as a fourth option for the event in Flanoir is exclusive to the GameCube version. In later versions he's treated like the other characters and has to be in your top three to show up. - We know that Lloyd named the tree Yggdrasil, since that's what it's called in Tales of Phantasia.

[@jess_o]

0:50 I own 3 out of those 4 classic RPGs! Thanks for the in depth and entertaining recap. This game deserves it.

[@mariosaurio21]

Dude, fantastic video, I love it. I've been playing the game on my own after some time, and you gave me the words to describe what I think about it.

[@Joehtosis]

What a monumental fucking achievement in dedication. And it wasn't boring either. I payed attention longer than I would to most box office movies. Subscribed. Holy shit lol.

[@dillynnsalazar]

I just found your channel, but I absolutely love the nostalgia and humor. Especially the Arrested Development references. Great job! Keep up the good work!

[@MrBreakthewalls]

So as i said, first video of you i watched, about my favorite game and it makes it justice. You are also quite funny. I just love Symphonia. Lloyd is such a great character, so direct and pure. His relationship with Kratos is so good. When he tells Lloyd not to die before him, it's just so strong. I always love a story about parallel worlds or timelines. . You should maybe have mentioned the opening video. The tales are great at it and Symphonia has a great one

[@Majuular]

True enough! They're an icon of the Tales series, I'd wager the first games to do an anime style OP?

[@brumael12]

I played this game beginning to end with a friend in high school back when this came out. There is so much stuff we missed in this that I had no clue was in this. Great video, looking forward to the next one.

[@Mint_Condition]

Damn. So far it's like you're reviewing my childhood. Excellent video.

[@RazorBladezX]

Just found your channel, it just popped up randomly. I love Tales of Series ,so for me hearing about it over and over again is a good feeling for me. Thanks for the review!

[@itisgarrison]

Awwww yeah, another Majuular review. Sweet nectar.

[@redmagejack]

On top of your humor being on point, you did a lot of justice to my favorite video game of all time. Looking forward to watching you in the future.

[@jerryhruby]

One of my favorite games, thanks for the excellent recap and keep making content!

[@NopeNotHere.]

59:30 ... Listening to the music modulate keys INSIDE OF EVERY SINGLE MEASURE. wtf... this just blew my mind. lol.

[@File2ish]

KZbin finally recommended something which interested me for once! Symphonia was the game that got me into JRPGs when i was a teen, only really got platformers and such in the SNES and N64 days. And through my rose tinted nostalgia glasses Symphonia remains my all time favorite game. I'm a few years overdue for another replay of the game, think it's finally time to find some time to.

[@flackfingers3105]

Your best video yet! Thanks for all your hard work with this, I can tell you poured a lot of yourself into it. The result is incredibly entertaining!

[@traviswilder532]

Man, solid review of the game. Loved your Legend of Dragoon review and hooked on your stuff now. Thanks for making awesome content!

[@Jesse-uq3lv]

What a great video! I have no clue why this showed up in my recommended... I don’t watch review videos but I’m playing through Symphonia right now so figured I’d watch this and you’re really great!

[@consolemans]

19:18 the quarter-elf joke got a knee slap laugh out of me so this review is going great

[@StrangeSunset7]

a friend recommended this channel to me and i gotta say you deserve WAY more subs. great video!

[@jovanni1676]

Based video!!! My favorite game in my favorite rpg series. Probably my favorite game of all time. Hilarious video, love this channel man

[@jonathanhunter7670]

So happy to discover your channel before you blow up, the production is amazing and i love the points you make! Brilliant job!

[@LaurentIpsum]

Hilarious and on top of that, just a really good review. I love this game, and it was a lot of fun to hear you discuss it

[@washtubz]

42:36 Great edit, lost it at the zoom in

[@shinigamimiroku3723]

44:09 Actually, Lloyd and Sheena have similar thought patterns (you notice this not only through their various interactions but within the game's affection system itself) and compliment each other quite well in battle. Lloyd is definitely loyal to Colette, but in the sense that they have been friends for years as Lloyd is not someone who, by default, understands romance. Also, in regards to the name of the new tree, you're right in that it's Yggdrasil, but because it makes it yet another link to the game it is a prequel-sequel to - Tales of Phantasia. Yggdrasil, the Mana Cannon, the Fujibayashi lineage, and many other points connect the two games together.

[@MistyLover17]

I was wondering if anyone brought up the Symphonia-Phantasia connections! I was about to mention that myself.

[@johnbuscher]

@@MistyLover17 I just logged in to do the same, haha. That’s why the game cuts off, it’s an implication and it’s kind of a neat “WAIT A MINUTE” for fans who played Phantasia. The newly-merged worlds also being named Aselia, I can only assume was influenced by Lloyd’s hometown of Iselia, at least based on how it was localized in English. I have no idea if the Japanese names are close like that.

[@jjmara01]

I agree 100% with the Lloyd and Sheena comment. Like they are very much alike and they help each other. Like to me, they actually have better chemistry then him and Colette. Plus, both their endings and goals heavily align. I know probably Colette is the canon relationship if there is one, but Sheena always felt like the most beautiful to see blossom in the game. Plus her story, really spoke to me

[@KingBanks18]

This video has become a comfort vid for me when I’m feeling down. Thanks Majuular

[@TheJimmybenji]

Man I loved this game when I first played it and seeing this vid just brings back so many memories. Might be due for a replay.

[@dogfacedangel6291]

man I have been loving your videos! I hope your channel grows because it's rare to find people with such tasteful editing style that makes something like a videogame retrospective very entertaining!

[@selenopheria]

The track that plays on the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge is titled "Far From Our World". It's our party's first real steps into a new world they know nothing about, with an uncertain goal to achieve. It's supposed to be a little eerie and sad.

[@Pin3C0ne]

I wasn’t expecting footage of Black Baby but it was a welcome surprise!

[@Lanoman123]

5:58 “the source of Big Boss’s genes”

[@zuppexeuw6385]

I'm 1hr into the Video and I just have to sub your sense of humor and editing style is so chill and pleasent. TOS one of my fav games of all time and part of my childhood, this is prob. gonna be the best Review that I saw in years. Keep up the good work !