Tales Games You Should Play After Beating Tales of Arise (For New Series Fans) | Backlog Battle

[@supergohansonic]

I love this. Seeing so many people loving the series that holds a big place in my heart. I've only been a Tales fan for a bit over a year but have already played over 10 mothership titles and a few spinoffs (currently playing through phantasia right now). Tales of Xillia is easily my favorite game of all time and that will probably never change due to how much it helped me get through a difficult time. I think my personal recommendations would be Xillia (of course), Berseria since it's the title right before arise (and also my first), Graces since I feel it shares a lot of similarities to arise (and has one of the best battle systems), and if people don't mind a more old timey game, symphonia since it was what propelled me into the tales rabbit hole. This video isn't necessarily directed towards me since I've played so many Tales games before Arise, but it somehow made my day. Thanks so much for this.

[@BacklogBattle]

When I made this video, I never once thought that it could be received as a celebration of the series. Thank you for opening my eyes to this.

[@CantFindNemo]

my first is berseria too, If it didn't pop up or if I didn't saw it in a youtube arpg recommendation video, I would have never played the Tales series. It is so good and I am playing arise now, I don't want to get back into berseria's combat after I played arise, It's polished tales, I love arise!

[@nesoukkefka1741]

Xilia is also a logical choice all thing considere, Tales of Arise gameplay is actually pretty much an improve version of Xilia gameplay.

[@THECHARG]

I just became a fan myself not a lot of games get my emotion and it sure did so it’s a close keeper in my heart how many tales games are there??

[@kian26master]

Tales of Arise was a very enjoyable ride to the end. The story the characters, everything. I've already started New Game+.

[@MyNameisRevenant]

The story is far from perfect, but is a good game with fun combat, some funny skits in between if you have the time for them, cool characters, but yeah average storytelling.

[@ZaffreRevolution]

thank you for inviting me to do this! jay and daniel's segments were fantastic and i know this'll help a ton of people

[@BacklogBattle]

Thanks for doing this! This was such a fun video to make!

[@kouathalla9040]

Abyss is also one of the good recommendation story-wise because I think it has one of the best character development and redemption story. They started with an obnoxious character who you want to punch in the balls so hard with a knife and managed to give them a great development + redemption + coming-of-age story. Oh also they have Jade Curtiss.

[@RazingPhoenix0079]

Yes, this was my first Tales of game. I played it on the 3ds and fell in love with the series. It has a great cast and story with my favorite tales character Guy. After that, I played Xillia 1 and 2, symphonia chronicles, vesperia, hearts r, zesteria, berseria, and arise. Also Jade is awesome as well. Definitely close second favorite character and then magilou.

[@celebi734]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started Tales of Arise. What I ended up with was not only my favorite Tales of game, but one of my all time favorite games. From the story, the characters, the music, the combat, Tales of Arise was one hell of a journey. It's not a perfect game, but it's damn near close in my eyes. I'm glad I went out of my way to platinum the game.

[@BacklogBattle]

It’s such a fantastic game! It’s probably going to take a lot to topple it off of my list of favorites of all time

[@standheaykic66]

Tales of Graces F deserve more recognition, especially with its combat system.

[@DanielSantosAnalysis]

This turned out great! It was really fascinating to see Zaffre and JayRPG's perspectives, I can definitely see where they're coming from and can agree that Vesperia and Xillia would make for good recommendations aswell. Thank you so much for inviting me, always a pleasure to collab!

[@TheeLZ]

My favorite tales games are: -Tales of the Abyss (Great story and everyone felt natural. The party joins out of convenience like berseria) -Tales of Zesteria/Berseria (Both are fantastic. I will die on this hill.) -Tales of Eternia (Corny and dated, but a classic) -Tales of Vesperia (Fuckin... Duh) -Tales of Arise (It's cliche but amazing)

[@moebro101]

I wanted to leave a comment but you summed up my thoughts. I still haven't played Zestiria, Eternia, or Arise yet. I've only really played Abyss, Vesperia, and Berseria to completion. All my favorites. I disliked Xillia but I nearly finished Jude's story. Randomly gave up on Eternia and Symphonia, they were charming but I didn't have a lot of motivation to play. Any thoughts?

[@Furen]

I'll die on the Berseria hill with you. I don't hate Zestiria by any means (we need more Ednas and Lailahs in the world). I liked almost all the characters and it was fun, but it was crazy short and I probably missed out on the depth of the system, but it seemed pretty lackluster. I have Zestiria and ToS:DotNW on the same level (I don't hate DotNW either though)

[@Furen]

Also, Abyss is the best game (though I put Berseria and Vesperia on the same level as a tied best three).

[@JRPGGaming]

Thanks for letting me be part of this! And apologies about my audio quality 😅

[@BacklogBattle]

What did I tell you? I made it work 😂

[@doomdude69]

I developed minor depression after finishing Arise. Game was so good - and realizing its over, I dont know what to do. Story and characters really resonated with me. Its not perfect but I really loved it. I need some hope for a new game. Got the platinum for whole series except for the two Symphonia games so maybe ill continue that.

[@acgon]

OMG IT'S ZAFFRE BEST VIDEO

[@OGC93]

Every single character and villains of tales of the abyss. That story was so close to my heart. Replayed it more then any other tales game.

[@ashyzup]

This is an amazingly done video! Kudos to the guest contributors. I've only finished Tales of Berseria and Arise myself and cannot wait to delve more into the wonderful world of Tales games.

[@BacklogBattle]

Glad you enjoyed it, and I'm happy that my guests got you excited about the series!

[@Innocuousmale]

This was a very good video, sir. You, brother, are the man.

[@Limitless200]

I just beat it and came across this video. YOU LEGEND!

[@BacklogBattle]

You're welcome!

x2

[@Arelath]

Accessibility is probably the biggest for a lot of people. I think Xillia is the best one that I'd overall recommend, but being able to play it is sadly made a little bit hard. Vesperia is a very solid entry in many ways and you can find it on all the modern consoles, even on Switch, so that makes it very appealing game in that regard. Berseria is also a personal favorite of mine, with a deeply personal story that really grabs you and refuses to let go up until the very end. I think you can't go wrong with any of those said options if you're now craving for more Tales to sink your teeth into. Also if fast paced, flashy combat is to your liking, I think Graces F deserves also an honorable mention, even if the cast and the story are maybe on the weaker side of things.

[@Snow-Willow]

This 100%. This is the primary reason why I prefer PC for almost all of my games now. PS one and two is easy enough to emulate, but handhelds from the DS onward and PS3 on up are a lot harder. So even though I own the disc for Graces F because my PS3 is on the fritz from just age it's hard to play. At least if I have a game made for PC aging Hardware will almost never become an issue. ( and I only say almost never because if you try to boot up some games from early days of computer gaming sometimes you get compatibility issues. I know my husband had to do a lot of workarounds for his copy of Alpha Centauri to work right)

[@mrcaos999]

Tales of Symphonia is also a must play. It's the most "complete" tales of game on my pov. Because its not only the longest game. (You easily spend 100 hours on a first play trough if you not play on easy and rush trough the story) It has a lot of side stuff to do compared to other old tails of games. The plot is a masterpiece and manages to throw in twist trough the whole play time. The cast is very strong and one of the best in the whole series even though its also one of the biggest. (Villains and Heros alike) The dungeons have riddles. (I would like to see more riddles in modern JRPGs) And i think the Playstation 3 version still looks okay. Syphonia was planned as two games. And you feel it. They not made the same mistake as with Xillia to forcefully cut it into two games.

[@kylep8183]

Completely agree with you, symphonia is probably my number 1 all time. That story is incredible with all the plot twists, awesome cast and loads of mini games and side content to do. My one piece of advice to anyone playing it would be to play through with English subs as if you do the dub none of the skits are actually voiced lol

[@celestielsigh]

Tales of Symphonia was my introduction to the series over twelve years ago and none of the newer entries have topped it yet. Symphonia is absolutely the best of the series and I wish many more people would play itm

[@BacklogBattle]

I was trying to find a KZbinr who'd be willing to talk about Symphonia at length, but I couldn't find any!

[@mrcaos999]

@@BacklogBattle it's weird. In europe it was one of the first to come out. I remember to buy it together with Baton Kaidos. (Another very good and interesting RPG even though it's a real pain to 100%) And a lot of germans that don't like the tails of games to love symphonia. Yet in the usa and many other countrys the games i don't like that much. (Zelestia/Xillia 2/ Berseria) are more popular. ((Xillia 1 was good till the rushed end))

[@kylep8183]

@@BacklogBattle unfortunate! Still a very good video regardless and I look forward to your future game coverage and videos.

[@DW316]

I'd recommend Zestiria, Beseria, and Xillia 2 if they want to know who the postgame bosses are.

[@Repparansho]

I joined with vesperia, went back to play abyss and symphonia till now, I recommend each tales of game with the exception of zestiria, that game was such a oddball compared to its predecessors and even its successors.

[@KrystalKittyProductions]

though niche, I'm glad Tales of Arise introduce many newcomers to the Tales series and getting them more involved in the previous titles. :) I personally recommend Berseria which was my fav.

[@emeraldnoir7099]

Well, Magilou and Shionne do share the same voice actor...

[@GiganticTOFU]

After finishing Arise, I have to say... Berseria story is WAY better than Arise. Berseria has low budget execution, but the base story is so well done. The content of Berseria skits are also more fun to watch than Arise. Arise skits has too much of the same theme. I much miss Eizen ramble on about world lores and history in skits.

[@emeraldnoir7099]

@@GiganticTOFU I love Berseria so much. Velvet is one of my top-five female leads in games.

[@GiganticTOFU]

@@emeraldnoir7099 for sure. At first she feels the typical edgy MC, but the growth of her character and how the entire story plays out just blows my mind. Definitely best tales writing imo.

[@emeraldnoir7099]

@@GiganticTOFU Agreed. SO many moments in Berseria gave me 'oh my god'..' moments. but not a single one in Arise..

[@Road_to_Dawn]

Great video and recommendations, and a nice surprise to see Zaffre and JayRPG here too! I 100% agree with all three games they recommended, and I’d also like to throw Tales of Symphonia into the ring. I’ve still not completed it myself, but if you feel like going back in time to a more retro game, Symphonia is the one that got me into the series after I borrowed it from one of my best friends roughly 10 years ago. I got hooked on it and loved the cast and how much old-school charm the game had. It’s been a long time since I booted it up, but I’ve been really wanting to go back to it myself sometime when I can find the chance to. It’s similar to Arise in a key way that it presents its story: it starts out with a pretty archetypical JRPG story involving a chosen maiden and a cast of friends escorting her to her goal (not unlike Final Fantasy X), but before long it pulls some surprises and turns some conventions on their heads. The cast of party members is also enormous and each one has something to love about them, and you may find that your favorites in the beginning may change around a lot as you play and get to know each different character.

[@HybridAngelZero]

Ayy, so many cool folks in this video! XD For my recommendations, Symphonia for its lovable cast, story and accessibility (it's on PC, fairly cheap and can run decently on the average potato). It's also on PS3 and GameCube Graces f if you really want new and exciting ways to engage with the combat. Sadly, this one, like Xillia is locked to the PS3. And lastly, if you want one with story that will absolutely stay with you, it's worth hunting down a Tales of the Abyss. This one has only ever been rereleased on PS2 and 3DS, but if you have the means, it's a must-play

[@anmepepz4077]

i gave up abyss due to mid toward endgame everytime the story advance a little, it force me to go back revisit couple of town just to raincheck, again and again. Guess i prefer old school 1city-1story advance type like tales of eternia more

[@gothard5]

Agreed 100% on Abyss. Only Tales game in which I still remember all the character names.

[@MilaMarieRose]

I have not played Arise yet but Berseria is one of my favorite games of all time. I feel like a lot of Tales fans don't care for it much so it's really great to see it featured here.

[@DanielSantosAnalysis]

Berseria should not be slept on, the story and characters alone make it worth experiencing.

[@Road_to_Dawn]

I was trucking through Berseria, biding my time until Arise came out and absolutely 100% LOVED what I got to play of it before my copy of Arise came out. Once I finish Arise, I’ll be right back into Berseria, hoping that becomes my third game in the series I finish! The story and characters are so good.

[@SkydazeSP]

Hey Alex. Great video! After this amazing first taste of ‘Tales of” I can most certainly say that it won’t be my last one!

[@BacklogBattle]

Fantastic! I think the three mentioned here are great starting points, but be sure to check out the comments too! Lots of suggestions here as well!

[@balrock1017]

I already bought the triple box with Vesperia, Zesteria and Berseria. Just finish Lost Judgement and I will jump right in

[@fayerequiem1249]

triple box?

[@balrock1017]

@@fayerequiem1249 At least in Europe you can buy a bundle with all three games for 50€.

[@JakeMatthews-OnLo]

Honestly as a long time fan who wants this franchise to hit the mainstream get the recognition and praise it deserves, I wanted to Love Arise, but I came out with mostly negative opinions. Characters- I didn’t found the party likable or memorable, I felt the character dynamics were stale. While I don’t think every character needs a major character arc I felt like the cast besides the leads remained stagnant for most of the game. Also Alphen’s preachy dialogue and always having to point out the obvious and how wrong it is and Shionne’s tsundere trope and reserve attitude got really annoying and it pissed me off how she kept things to herself even though it obviously concerned everyone. Dohalim and Kisara were just there. And Law and Rinwel banter just got annoying. And none of the Villians left an impact on me. Honestly I think Almeidrea was the best written villain. Story- I feel like the two worlds trope is getting really stale. After defeating the lords the story to me, took a massive nosedive. We just went through the motions of finding a new threat. Some plot points that should have been major like, Alphen learning about his past and finding the ship that brought him to Dannah and Dohalim making up with old friends felt really boring and quickly resolved. Also the writing for Rena felt rushed, None of the sci-fi tech was hardly explained, the crisis of a having a destroyed planet and no real rulers felt lazily explained and resolved. Also did it feel like the party just guessed who the real villains were, like I know Rinwel was supposedly communicating with Rena’s spirit, but every time they confirmed something they second guessed themselves. Also the “were all in this together” speeches got really irritating after the third time and near the end when they were beating the planets spirit and blaming it for everything from slavery to controlling humanity just pissed me off. This “blame everything on god” just felt shoehorned since for a majority of the game we were fighting “human” slave masters. Honestly that J-RPG trope is starting to piss me off because human greed causes more conflicts and human suffering than religious zealots. Combat- while it was great the enemy variety brought it down for me. Most were damage sponges and pallet swaps of other enemies. Bosses were cool but not that memorable. Other gripes- I didn’t like the new skits and as few as there were none felt as memorable as most of Berseria’s giant catalogue of skits. Also I’d prefer if they brought back Victory quotes. Also I’m not a fan of how most of the new Mystic Artes work with them being active on the field while playing. I feel like they shouldn’t be so easily avoided. Also I like the English cast but I’m not sure if it was Quarantine thing but some some of their dialogue sounded muffled. Also I like Kisara voice but I wished she tried to sound more cute. Her tough Female knight voice feels way too forced. I’ve noticed a lot of female knights have been localized to sound tough but would it hurt to have one sound elegant and cute. Honestly after I finished the game I was just glad it was over and I wished the used the this engine but brought back the Berseria writers or made remakes. Cause I didn’t want to play a new tales games after this. I didn’t want to come out this game hating it, I wanted it to be a masterpiece but some parts needed more care than others. I still liked the combat system, I liked it that Alphen and Shionne actually ended up together instead of leaving it ambiguous and I love the characters designs but the writing left a lot to be desired.

[@darwins.2646]

I’ve played all the Tales games mentioned and have to agree with all the picks, they are all great games. I also really like Tales Of The Abyss. Didn’t play the original PS2 release but did play the 3DS release and loved it! Plus it was on a portable handheld, my preferred way to play RPGs.

[@eastcoasttone3952]

I played Vesperia first and I'll probably play Abyss on the 3DS second before I hop into Arise. Also I've been meaning to ask you where you got that Persona 4 poster in background at 13:19? It looks really dope!

[@BacklogBattle]

Atlus sent it over to me!

[@Dave_McKee]

There is nothing sweeter then Playing Tales of Vesparia on my Switch while riding the train. I also really love Tales of Xillia 1&2 and of course Beseria.

[@BacklogBattle]

It really is sweet that we can do that with Tales of Vesperia! I hope other Tales games make it to that platform!

[@FelixKusuma]

Tales of Eternia, this is the tales game that makes me into the series, it's old yes, most of the people probably already played it, but if you haven't then it's a good start

[@AndreiCaldararu]

Caveat for Tales of Berseria on PC: it's horrendous to play using Mouse and Keyboard. Unfortunately my gamepad died on me a bit before I wanted to play it, so I couldn't really get into it. Still on my TODO list. Also, Tales of Vesperia is on sale on the Switch EU Store for about 13 EUR for the next week or so.

[@APrinnyDood]

These are great reccomendations. All I have to add is Graces f & Abyss if your curious about the old gameplay style but aren't sure about going 2D. Been a fan ever since Eternia. Always a treat seeing how the franchise will evolve in the next title

[@gothard5]

Yes! Abyss is the best Tales game in my opinion. Never played the PS3 games except for some of Xillia 1. I tried to pick up where I left off in Xillia 1, but my PS3 started literally smoking within like 30 seconds. Not sure what that was all about. Definitely won’t be trying that again anytime soon.

[@APrinnyDood]

@@gothard5 that sucks. Xillia has one of the most fun battle systems imo with the sheer amount of dual artes and the brokeness of some of half the skills. Abyss tho, thats a good one definitly

[@CtheIronblooded]

Daniel knows what's up. While the combat might not be as complex or technical as other entries in the series Berseria is my fave and just one of my top 5 fave games in general. Few games left as big an impact on me as that one did. It's been 4 years and it still lives in my mind rent free. Best story, best cast of characters who are very unique for a J-RPG, amazing theming and sense of grey morality. I just can't recommend that game enough, especially if you're a fan of something like Berserk, you'll find a lot to love in Berseria's world.

[@valkyriediaries308]

JayRPG knows where it's at.

[@Olphas]

Xillia will always have a place in my heart as it was my entry point. And I think it is still a good place to go to as a newcomer. The obvious choice would be Berseria, because it is a bit more modern. Both are my favorites and I couldn't decide between them. I also loved Graces f. At least after the first couple of hours that were a bit annoying to me. When the story makes a jump after the long prologue it is excellent. All 3 have very good combat systems that Arise-players should feel familiar with fairly quickly. The only one that was a bit of a let down for me was Zestiria.

[@chris-098]

If you haven't please play Berseria, it's has such a beautiful and heartfelt story with some of the best cast of characters in the entire series, don't let the ps3 graphics fool you, it's a fantastic tales game.

[@theultimaterush]

No game has made me cry like Berseria!

[@xavvvorg4653]

It's great to see Repede cast as the palamute from monster hunter rise 😎

[@Snow-Willow]

I swear Capcom must have taken inspiration from Repede for the base Palamute because the resemblance is uncanny. When I got my first palamu in Monster Hunter Stories 2 (I haven't gotten Rise yet), I legit named him Repede because of the similarity.

[@bbsshawn]

I don't know if anyone else recommended it, but for people who have finished Arise, I'd try Tales Of Graces. I know it's only on the PS3 but if this game either receives a remaster or Sony finally lets us play PS3 games on the PS5, I would download that game in a heartbeat. The fighting style is kinda similar to Arise where you can move freely around the screen. But what I really like about that game is the characters like Asbel who is the protagonist of da game, Cheria who is a childhood friend of Asbel's' and my favorite character who remains my favorite character of The Tales series, Sophie who was sent from another planet to destroy a creature called Lamda. Sophie's my favorite because she reminds me of someone who I unfortunately lost 10 years ago. She's very nice and shows loyalty to Asbel making it her job to protect him, just like that someone I lost. I'm not ashamed to say it, but there was one part of the game where I thought she was going to die and it made me cry. That’s the first game that has ever made me cry. So if you like emotionally driven stories with a good combat system, tales of graces is The game for you.

[@MrDarksol]

.........MAN I wanted to scream in joy cuz Xillia and Berseria were mentioned but can't because I am at work! Those are very good picks and yes Xillia MUST be played more. Hell Berseria especially because that story is still fantastic and still can't believe that Cristina Vee nailed it as Velvet. Still have personal complaints about the ending HOWEVER I would not have replayed the game a second time if I didn't love the story and cast. I am still not done with Arise as that game's grip on me is just as strong as Berseria, Xillia and Vesperia but my memories of playing those games have not left me. Nice video for all of the beginning players out there who may have finished Arise and while I would recommend Tales of The Abyss, I can't because it was only rereleased on the 3DS soooooo yeah ToV, ToX and ToB are soild recommendations. Again great job!

[@MrDarksol]

@@chimeratcg07 I know that I still own my PS2 copy from I don't remember how long ago but I do remember that I got it as a Christmas gift from my cousin lol.

[@crispcleanwithcaffeine]

I asked the same question to my friends after I platinum'ed Tales of Arise last week; recommendations are in line with this video with some swear by Graces F. My backlog seems to always outgrow my time LMAO

[@DanielSantosAnalysis]

Graces f is highly recommend for those that want a highly gameplay focused experience

[@Snow-Willow]

Graces F was phenomenal in my opinion, it's just getting the ability to play it that can be tricky since it'd a PS3 title.

[@Kirby-Krios]

I am new and currently loving TOA ^_^ I want to know why is it called "mothership"? what does a mothership have to do with "Tales Of"?

[@xviinaichi3793]

Mothership titles being the mainline games and not the spin off games & mobile games

[@shyguy2046]

I have to wait to get Tales of Arise but I think Tales of Vesperia is the best . I was one of the few who got bored with Berseria. (Don't hate me please lol) However epic collaboration!!!

[@burleyheaggans3610]

Going to give this a listen to support. I like all of you guys work. But as far as the Tales of Series goes I have been playing them since 01 so I just choose based off of love now.

[@BacklogBattle]

That's awesome!

[@burleyheaggans3610]

@@BacklogBattle I would recommend those who beat Arise the following games. Keep in mind this maybe hard to do because of availability. For story Abyss or Berseria. For battle system Graces F and Xillia 1/2. These 4 in my eyes are closer in terms of story and battle mechanics for this.

[@Virtuous_Exile]

Platinumed the game almost a week ago. Finishing the game bummed me out; I didn't want it to be over. I have started Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition since, and am loving it. I played and beat the XBC2 but had never played the original. So far, I like the 1st one more. Better voice acting and combat.

[@JustJulyo]

Yo it's JayRPG! HELL YEAH!

[@gothard5]

I still haven’t finished it. I’ve only been able to play it on weekends. Last I played, I was working on trying to track down the 4th lord in Mahag Saar when I figured out that when you look at the blank circles in the skill trees, it tells you how to unlock them. Also, I still really suck at fishing. I wish they could have used the fishing system from the Cold Steel games. That was awesome.

[@gothard5]

When I got to the fifth and final lord, I thought it was the final boss. Boy, was I wrong.

[@EriesAston]

Vesperia was my first Tales of game and I already own Xillia and Berseria. Might be a while until I get to them, I have so many games to play.

[@micoorda6174]

Hopefully we'll get news of ports of older titles (Xillia 1&2, Abyss, Graces F, etc.) in Steam and current gen consoles. Heck, I'd love a surprise digital global Christmas launch like what Atlus did for Persona 4 Golden on Steam last year but that sounds unlikely.

[@brucelivingston2220]

I say play Berseria. Great, underrated game. Fantastic story and characters (Velvet is female John Wick, and Magilou made me laugh out loud a fair amount, something rare for me with games), and solid combat. Tales fans might skip over this one, not sure why, but as a semi-tales fan, I say go for it. I've played 3 tales games in total, and while I really liked all 3, they go in order of best to really good: Arise, Berseria, Vesperia.

[@rexmon2592]

What’s next? Well for me its definitely Kuro no Kiseki! The start of the Calvard arc in the Trails series :) also other JRPGs in my backlog like DQXI, Yakuza 7, Scarlet Nexus, etc

[@MelBeKing]

Tales of abyss had the best story and characters to me, it’s my favorite and vesperia follows up.

[@darthshuichi3453]

Thank God that this game had the easiest Platinum Trophy requirements out of all the games. I still haven't finished Symphonia and Vesperia.

[@anmepepz4077]

2:38 "Vesperia is not for the faint of heart, its combat system is one of the most complex indepth in the series" ..me at endgame using rita tidalwaving everything

[@anmepepz4077]

i finished: -eternia -destiny -rebirth -innocence -heart -vesperia -zestiria -berseria

[@erickreyes7902]

@@anmepepz4077 you havent played ABYSS?... lol...

[@nickshwartz6358]

Abyss, Symphonia, Legendia, Vesperia, and Graces F. Graces F is unfortunately locked to the PS3 and Legendia is locked to the PS2, but if you can get your hands on them.... hoo boy. Play them. If you enjoyed Arise you will very much enjoy those 5. I understand Xillia is great as well, but as I havent personally played it yet I don't want to put it on the list.

[@evanharjanto2450]

many hidden gem in tales usually got hidden by its port/console instead of the usual bad game / bad story/etc. takes rebirth or hearts or even tales of the world 1+2+3 for example

[@Lanzetsu]

Funny thing to me Arise is the combination of Vesperia and Xillia, having them as the two best Tales games thus far (and mayb Abbys or Berseria)

[@DubExp]

I just finished it yesterday. Loved it! Not sure if I want to do everything on current difficulty or go new game with harder difficulty. And only tales game I played is is ToV. Hopefully older titles can get brought over to Xbox.

[@sunyclubband4203]

I just finished it, 108 hours invested I obviously completed everything, it is my first tales of, the combat system is extremely fun and varied, and I have seen several videos of others tales and the one that most resembles it is berseria, also because in arise two berseria characters appear who are bosse

[@caravaneerkhed]

Nice, I bought Arise, berseria, and vesperia on sale recently so it’s good to know those are top picks. My friend has graces, and xilia, and xilia 2 as well so once i get through those 3 I plan to borrow a few off him… I think he’s got zestria as well

[@BacklogBattle]

Graces is actually what inspired many of Arise’s systems, so I think you’ll be in for a treat!

[@DOOMSDAY500]

I hope there’s a new story DLC, I really want to see more of married AlphenXShionne and new stuff after the end of the game plus Vholran is still alive with the renes Alma

[@setsunajoel]

Finished the platinum in less than a month. Loved the story

[@TophDaGreat]

I have TOV remastered, TOX2, TOB and TOZ in my backlog. I've owned them for awhile but never got around to serious play. I only played TOV remastered for a few hours. I forgot about it because KH3 came out and I just never went back. I've heard great things about it for years. Was thinking of giving it a shot when I finish Arise. Was very underwhelmed by TOZ. Played it about two years ago. Got about 5 hours in and it just bored me. According to reviews, I'm not the only one it seems. I don't imagine I will ever finish that one. I know not every game can impress you immediately and I admit I didn't put much hours into it but each Tales game had a charm that drew me in but I felt nothing from that. I tried TOX2 but it was too repetitive and too similiar to the first game which I also own. I got bored and just stopped playing. I have not played TOB. Heard good things. Would love to get to it some day.

[@Makoto03]

I really wish Namco would port Tales of Xillia to xbox. I already played it and Berseria on playstation but would love to replay them on my xbox series s.

[@BacklogBattle]

Agreed! Port the older games to modern platforms please!

[@nesoukkefka1741]

@@BacklogBattle And release the few that never got release like Tales of Rebirth is one that I'd like to try cause it's story and world, looks really interesting but as of now there is no ways to play it in english not even a fan translation patch.

[@jeremytichai9782]

Tales of arise was really fun and I done Platinum with it too! What's next is well I'm playing Kena Bridge of Spirits.. the game is really good you guys should try it

[@Sasukequeen3]

Honestly I now it gets a LOT of hate but I’d recommend Dawn Of The New World after playing Tales Of Symphonia… only because I’d loved the cast of both games and I think Tenebrae(BraeBrae) is one of the best mascot right next to Hootle lmao

[@sarges1712]

got the Platinum a couple nights ago in Tales of Arise. Up next, Ys VIII, which I started last night followed by either Sakura Wars, Tales of Zesteria, Tales of Berseria, Metroid Dread, and a handful of other games lol. Already re-played/finally finished Tales of Vesperia a few months ago. I had played through some of it on 360 but ended up selling my 360 so never finished it. To me, Vesperia is easily one of the best Tales of games. Characters, world, story, etc. Symphonia was good but perhaps a bit over-rated; imo. I can't recall which of the PS-PS2 Tales of games I had played back in the day. While they were good I don't think they compete with Vesperia or some other titles but then again, I really don't remember lol....

[@spacefightertzz]

00:30 I better pause the video. I'm still playing tales of berseria. Only tried the demo of arise... But I played tales of destiny (USA) on the psx and loved it. Then tales of destiny 2. I remember replaying them quite a few times looking for secrets and Easter eggs

[@creaturetransylvania8943]

Tales forever. My recommendation is pretty much the same but when going into a Tales game,make sure when going into a Tales game have the mindset of wonder. Although maybe if you go into the series being kinda cynical but then get your socks blown off that may make you like the series even more.

[@MrDoggson]

As a xbox player i guess the options are Tales of arise xbox one version and vesperia on 360/xbox one version. Almost done with the Series Enhanced version

[@pejahmein2301]

Vesperia, Abyss, Xillia, and Berseria. Only letdown for me is Zesteria, coming from someone who regretted pre-ordering it.

[@crazykenbei]

If you liked the battle system and have a ps3 then grace f is worth a shout. And yes the fabled trinity (Symphonia, abyss, versperia) is inevitable lol.

[@DarkSideOfMirror]

Xillia is my favorite game as well

[@crimsondemonx]

I'm gonna recommend the very first tales game I ever played and that's tales of abyss

[@makotoyuki345]

Haven’t watched yet but my recommendations: Symphonia (my biggest suggestion) Abyss (my other biggest suggestion) Berseria Xilla Eternia (for the “retro” fans) Vesperia Anyways on to the vid

[@Umi_Pumi]

Abyss and Symphonias combat didn't age that well though, it's pretty basic compared to endgame Vesperia or Xillia, but those are still my favorites. But dated combat can turn off people

[@makotoyuki345]

@@Umi_Pumi true though dated or not the games still hold up really well

[@s4ad0wpi]

I cant speak for the rest of the games you suggest, but as someone who's going through Symphonia for the first time... It's rough. A story that takes nearly 20 hours to even really get started, dungeons that are absolute ass, pacing that's so off that it's not even funny, and a character whose first thought after getting tossed across the room for trying to flirt with one of the women is to get right back to flirting... INCLUDING WITH THE GIRL WHO JUST FLUNG HIM ACROSS THE ROOM!!! Fuck Zelos. I hate him!

[@makotoyuki345]

@@s4ad0wpi fair. Symphonia is a different type of beast if you’re not used to the slightly older types of tropes and it can be a slog but best thing I can say is if you don’t have the time to spare or can’t handle the slow beginning pace then you can always put it off for now. Or if you can still play but it’s not to your taste then no harm in not forcing yourself to play, if you don’t like it then that’s understandable. We all like different things. You can continue Symphonia if it’s okay with you but if not then try Vesperia or Abyss since those 2 specifically build on the better traits of Symphonia I love the game but I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea

[@s4ad0wpi]

@@makotoyuki345 Oh yeah, LOVE Vesperia! And enjoy Abyss a lot! (Though Luke takes some... time to get used to...) I mostly say "I can't speak for the rest" because it's been a WHILE since I've touched either of them in a meaningful way.

[@Rain-ro4qn]

30 hours in, I'll save this video and will be back

[@BacklogBattle]

You're in for a ride in the next several hours!

[@Rain-ro4qn]

@@BacklogBattle oh definitely, I'm heavily invested in the characters and the story!

[@jazzman77]

Where did you buy the persona 4 poster in the back?

[@BacklogBattle]

I didn’t! Atlus sent it to me

[@sailorboy8314]

I think I’m going to go with Berseria after I beat Arise again

[@CuteAndFunnyFan]

I enjoyed all english tales of games so far, and even Tales of Destiny DC english patched!

[@Snow-Willow]

There's an English patch?? O.o Well I know what I am doing next. Also, really nice to see another Tales veteran in the comments. I feel like more and more all I run into are people who started with Zestiria and only know that and Berseria. Not that there's anything particularly wrong with those one but....ya now, just misses out on classic Tales play and what made the series up until those points. (Also gets a little lonely in the fandom when no one has even heard of my favourite one, Legendia, because it barely even gets cameo references. Berseria made me happy when it did that. 😅)

[@zakikhan814]

Ive played many rpgs throughout my life and played only berseria and arise on the tales side. Berseria was impressive due to the unorthodox motive of the protagonist

[@albundy1485]

Berseria is so good! Xillia is 10 year old. Where is my Xillia 1&2 10th anniversary compilation on ps4, Namco?

[@KillTyrants]

Frackin love Eleanor

[@ItzBlackace]

Just beat arise last night, and I really enjoyed it

[@BacklogBattle]

Awesome!

[@phoenixgames3351]

I'd recommend Berseria as it's a different story where you're actually the villains of the story and the combat is easy to adjust to. Zestiria has a fun combat system but the story and world are kinda bland. Vesperia despite how many people love I don't like it can can't recommend it the combat just feels dated and isn't responsive

[@RicochetForce]

Yeah, that also gives me pause in recommending Vesperia. Its gameplay style has aged and compared unfavorably to Arise. As you said, it's really unresponsive and stiff feeling. Both are things that wouild immediately put off a newcomer fresh from ToA.

[@robgatdula8086]

I know its a rather unpopular opinion but tales of graces f on ps3 was amazing the story and characters all memorable

[@BacklogBattle]

Its said to be the inspiration for Arise’s combat and progression!

[@Usernamehear]

Wow where dose he have the room for all these massive box set special editions

[@BacklogBattle]

I didn’t think he was going to flex so hard 😂

[@JRPGGaming]

It's a constant struggle for space 😅

[@nesoukkefka1741]

Personnaly I have a hard time with this series, I loved Vesperia but after it I have hard time getting in the series, I didn't like Graces F (gameplay was great but the rest was average to terrible), Xilia and Stmphonia was meh, didn't like Zesteria and couldn't get into Eternia wasn't until Berseria I found another Tales of I liked, thankfully so far I'm enjoying Arise, but yeah I have mix feeling with this series.

[@Chaiberry]

Absolute Gs

[@zach2930]

Code Vein is a great choice as well. It has a similar feel to tales of arise. Great level design combat and story. The level of customization in code vein is very impressive and it has a much higher level of replayability.

[@dammit-dylard4811]

I have the Kisara bond trophy and then I will have my platinum!

[@SilortheBlade]

I wish I could understand why so many people like Vesparia. I played almost 30 hours and the story still hadn't kicked in. NO real overarching narrative. The combat could have been interesting but the terrible mechanic of 2.5D was garbage. fighting in one plane, then having to realign. It was not for me. I did really like the two main characters, but the rest were either annoying or uninteresting. EVen after I got sick of the combat and stopped playing I watched youtube videos for another 5 hours of the game to see if it went anywhere, with a big fat nope. So I stopped bothering even with that. Every other tales game I have played always had a great narrative, even the games I didn't enjoy as much. Also they all had a great to good cast. I hate not finishing games but Verperia just did not work for me on any level. I am happy for anyone who did enjoy it. I am happy when anyone can enjoy something, but why this game has such a following when there are many others in the series that are far superior remains a mystery to me.

[@kenrn3778]

Bold of you to assume that I'd finish my backlog 😅

[@BacklogBattle]

I didn't mean your ENTIRE backlog, just one game! 😂

[@kenrn3778]

@@BacklogBattle I just got Kisara in my party but got sidetracked when Diablo 2 Resurrected came out 😂

[@IMRavnos]

My advice : Story - Vesperia or Berseria. V has older combat and B has newer slick combat. Both are great. Combat - Graces F and Xillia ( NOT Xillia 2 ) Graces F has the best combat in the series prior to Arise. Xillia is where the old and the new kind of gelled. It is not quite as “slick” as Berseria, but is good and has a lot of variety. Characters - Abyss, Vesperia, Symphonia. - I put Symphonia on here despite thinking it is ery much overrated snd does not hold up but is a nostalgia trip and was the first of the “modern” 3d Tales games. Humor - Graces F and Vesperia have the best humor in the series, Legendia gets a mention as it has some weird ass humor in it. All in all, the ONLY Tales of game I just gave up on for sucking was Xillia 2 as it is shit and rehashed cash grab garbage where you just go to old areas and back track non stop and has the WORST main character of any Tales game and the New child character is the fucking worst. Skip it, it is worse than Zesteria which many people hated because the JPN player base hated it because they ASSUMED the female on the cover and in the trailers was a co- main character, which she was never developed to be, so they cried.

[@poisonjam44]

vesperia is my favorite of the series.

[@USMChing]

You guys forgot the best entry in the series..... Tales of Abyss :(

[@BacklogBattle]

We didn't forget a thing! I just couldn't find a KZbinr who'd talk about Abyss (or Symphonia)!

[@harrisonmakris1376]

Non-tales recommendations: Code vein Scarlet Nexus Kinda clear bamco was building to arise for awhile so you can't go wrong with the last couple of their releases. Scarlet Nexus isn't like *good*, objectively. the things it does well it does for too longbut I enjoyed the world and the game a lot. Code vein is a souls like but it's one of the easiest in the genre. It honestly barely counts. It's more of a character action game that's superficially souls like. Also the story is kinda meh on paper but executed well, so anyone that likes tales should be at home lol

[@Nobody-hc1rw]

Why you doing my guy Lloyd dirty huh. Tales of Symphonia all the way.

[@profile019]

Playing zestiria at the moment.. Hope i finished it.. Lolx

[@sheesh1320]

I finished it 100% just a little after 60 hours the game was kinda easy I wish they had monster book and devil arms would have made me replay it more and I’ve finished every other tales of game from ps3 onward so now I’m just waiting for new ports of old games

[@BacklogBattle]

But there are Devil Arms in the game

[@tkuzava22]

Since I’ve played almost all games besides Eternia I have to say you got to pick Symphonia. Yes it’s older, yes some parts are outdated and newer players might be thrown off but with all that said I still pick Symphonia. It’s the first Tales of game that really kicked Tales into motion, it has a fantastic story with plenty of similarities to Arise, it has some of the best characters and well yeah combat is simplistic and easy but still fun. It has all the elements we older fans love in tales with the great cameo fights, sword dancer, nebilim quest, side quest aplenty that actually give cool rewards, wonder chef and much more. If you want another great Tales of and want to see some of the great stuff Tales of use to have and where it really began to become popular look no further. But if you’re a weirdo and can’t play older games then I will definitely say Vesperia, it’s like the modern version of Symphonia with a better cast imo but a little worse story depending on preference of course

[@harry7679]

Waiting tale of arise 2 lol🤣