Tales of Symphonia

It takes a real badass to be a stoic in purple

Now all critics have their own personal beefs, quirks, and biases that they tend to bring into their writing, and if you read enough of anybody’s work you will begin to detect themes in terms of there likes and dislikes. I know all critics try to make the claim of being impartial and not being slaves to popular option, but everybody does have there own personal taste, and a critic’s views will shine through in all of there writing, and I am no exception. Those of you who knows me or have read a lot of my posts will quickly catch onto a trend in my general likes and dislikes, for example, I am a fan of old movies, I dislike over the top violence, I liked conflicts that are very grey vs. grey with fleshed out villains, and I don't like Frank Miller. And building off that, comes the list of “hot topics”, things that I am strongly optioned about and am willing to go into massive rants to back up my fully justified and not at all exaggerated views against everyone else on the internet, who are all entirely wrong and deluded for having the audacity to argue against me.* Even ignoring politics and religion (LINK'S HAT IS GOD) and sticking strictly to more nerdier subjects, some issues that lead to instant polarization for me at least are things like 4th Edition, 300, Vs. threads, and alignment. And now, lets move to the next paragraph, because I’d rather start a new rant after my massive note below, and I’d rather be snarky then think of a better transition, much to the pain of future English teachers.

*for those of you reading this, yes, that was sarcastic, and slightly self mocking. I feel horribly patronizing to have to include this, because almost all of you will easily get my point, even if it is rather heavy handed, and thus might find my explanation insulting to your intellection, but one of the two things I’ve learned about the internet is that there will always be people who simply miss the point when it comes to sarcasm, so I felt the need to include this disclaimer both to protect my image (insecurities ahoy) and to make another heavy handed joke. The other thing I learned about the internet is that it leads to painfully over the top run off sentences, often full of lampshade hangings.

Anyways, painful transition aside, one of the issues which constantly leaves me up at night fighting against people I don’t know via forum, is JRPGs. For those of you who don’t know, within the Video Game world, Role Playing Games (RPG, again being patronizing) are divided roughly into two main categories. Oh there are some sub categories, like “action RPG”, such as Dark Alliance, or Legends of Norath, and of course MMO’s and stratigy games, but within “Pure” RPGs, we are given two vaguely defined and yet totally rigid categories. There are Western RPGS, or WRPGS, through the latter title is rarely heard, as they tend to be known as just “RPGs” and there rival is “JRPGS” or “Japanese RPGS” coming from everybody favorite island with a higher living standard than the US, Japan. Now obviously, this is kinda of an “East vs. West” conflict, which is one of those many cultural conflicts between the radically different cultures, but I feel the need to point out that neither genre is exclusive to either region. For example, western games can and often do follow the “Japanese” model, Lord of the Rings the Third Age is a notable example. And while “JRPGS” is a style, Japan isn’t the only video game maker in Asia, South Korea and China are there, through overshadowed by the video game juggernaut that is Japan. Now, while both are RPGs, they have different conventions. Western RPGs are my favorite style of video game out there, and they tend to focus upon wide open style of playing, where the character effects the world around him and makes up his own personality. For example, in Baldur’s Gate, there is a centralized main plot that the player is forced to follow, but the methods in your doing so is left to the player. You have many side missions that you can do in no particular order, which while never actually changing the main plot, subtly effects it. You can chose your own party members and interact with them, you often will have a “good/Evil” path, through the better ones will give you even more options, and you really make up the personality of the character. In short, Western RPGs are about options, and choices, and while some of the lesser ones (Fable) aren’t as good at this, the giants in the genre can offer a massive amount of choices that shape your character, the idea being that it is the player who makes the story happen. Some of the games, such as Mass Effect and Icewind Dale will even have your character design effect the way the game works, such as a character who focuses upon Charisma and diplomacy will have different dialogue options. Most, through not all Western RPGs will allow you to make your own character, and will almost always allow you to alter his actions, thus making it really a “Role Playing Game”. Western titles include, Baldur’s gate, Planescape Torment, Icewind Dale, Fable, Legacy of Kain, Neverwinter Knights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect, The Witcher, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Overlord, Bard’s Tale, Diablo, Knights of the Old Republic, Might and Magic, and Thief are all examples of this, and the debatable example of Warcraft. Now, you might haven noticed two main patterns among these examples. First off, some of the games on the list are literally the best games ever, no exception, and secondly that most of them are kinda old, because many developers have realized that explosions, gore and cleverage sell better than plot and character devolpment. But almost all of the games on that list are amazing, at least the ones I’ve played (Might and Magic can’t comment) with the exception of Fable of course. Ironically, one WRPG I’ve never played, “Wizardry” is apparently huge in Japan, but we have to bear in mind, neither of these are culturally absolutes.

Now JRPGS tend to focus less upon choices and available options, and more upon story and character development. Instead of making your own character and choosing your own paths, and instead you watch a series of pre-made characters who simply go through the plot. Now, when I say it focuses upon story and characters, I’m not saying that Western RPGs are somehow lacking in terms of plot and characters, just that the story details are left up to the player, while in JRPGs the story is much more linear and the characters are already written for you, so the choices are often more minute and subtle. Final Fantasy is the most famous JRPG out there. Now, I dislike JRPGs. I find them tedious, as you are often simply going through a series of cut scenes and just move the pre existing character around and do the fighting. JRPGS are formulaic, and while the formula can and has worked, the fact that the genre relies so much upon the formula just seems primitive to me. JRPGs also tend to be full of my pet peeves, like people wearing absurdly revealing clothes for no reason (WRGPS aren’t innocent of this either through), people being so absurdly good looking that it feels like the graphics matter more than gameplay and story, crazy hair, absurdly young main characters with hard to tell genders, and turned based combat, not to mentioned lazy world design and absurdly over the top weapons and fights (that you see in cute scenes obviously). And also, because the characters are premade, if you don’t like them, well your screwed then, because they aren’t controlled by you. This can become particularly annoying if you want the character to follow a different path, for example, I’d be actually pretty interested in playing a character who serves the cliché evil empire rather than fighting for my generic and shallow motives.

Now, as much as I dislike JRPGs, and the formula they stick to so rigidly, I can’t in good conscious condemn the entire genre to be nothing more than tedious game play and cliché writing, because there are a few that I like. Even through I dislike most of Final Fantasy and what it stands for especially today, I will admit I like a few of the titles, even through I hated FFXII, FFX, FFVIII, FF X-2 (yes, they made a Final Fantasy Ten 2, don’t ask). I liked Tactics and Tactics Advanced, the Crystal Chronicles, and the first 3 games in the franchise, and I fond FFIX and FF XII to be decent. But all of those are not games I’d really love, as I’d never put them in the “RPGs worth recommending” and I more just had a fun time rather than have a great wonderful time. And while I liked Fire Emblem, I’m not sure if that counts as JRPG, so within the JRGP genre, there aren’t very many “Great” games by my standard. In fact, most of the so call “great” games I found to be really primitive and vastly inferior to the biggest hitters in the Western RPG world. And there are so many just bad JRPGs, Lost Odyssey is still the biggest waste of money I’ve ever seen in a video game. Now to be fair, I don’t play JRPGs often, because I’d rather use my money on RPGs that I can have reasonable expectations for a good game, so there are almost certainly some really good titles I’m missing, but for me, there are only two games that prevent me from simply giving up on the genre as a broken formula. FFVI, and Tales of Symphonia. Now the former I don’t own, and I haven’t been able to play it for years, but lets just say it was awesome, and so, after this truly massive introduction explaining my bias, I think this is a good time to review one of the few stable columns that hold the JRPG formula from proving to be a waste of time.

Right, Tales of Symphonia, lets start, and on an actual new page too . Anyways, I have to admit, I’ve never actually played any of the tales series, which is apparently a “different” approach to JRPGs, and if any of them are like Symphonia, I’ll be quite content honestly. Now, it should be noted, that ToS doesn’t break the JRPG story formula, in fact, follows it as rigidly as they come, with the singular exception of combat, and adding in more options than the average JRPG in terms of story. The combat is far more entertaining than turn based, as you have limited control over your characters in terms of fighting, which I gather is a common element of the Tales franchise. But the general JRPG mannerism is readily apparent, so I have to reluctantly conclude that JRPGs can work without being subverted. However, a good deal of the clichés and overused concept are cleverly subverted throughout the game. For example, like most JRPGs, the main character, Lloyd Irving is an overly enthusiastic moron with a short attention span, who is somehow the most moral person in the group, however in ToS, the fact he is a moron is constantly pointed out, and mocked by other party members. The fact he is a legitimately good person comes from him becoming less stupid and more focused, rather than some strange “Dumb people are good” ethic that seems to be prevalent in JRPGs and bad manga (including an infamous orange ninja). And while he is stupid, he isn’t painfully so, and so is actually quite likable, not to mention how, for all of his ignorance, he is rather mature, especially compared to the rest of the cast. Or the plot is very linear and formulaic (with one notable and amazing exception), but a lot of thought goes into the plot and more importantly the presentation, so it doesn’t feel forced or cliché, but instead actually pretty engaging and enjoyable. Ok, I’m getting ahead of myself, lets actually talk about the game?

Tales of Symphonia at first glance seems like a typical cliché story involving a Chosen one, a long epic quest to unlock the elemental seals in order to seal away evil, and a world full of monsters and magic. And, as you will be able to tell almost right away, this is entirely not true, and the plot is in fact a far longer and more elaborate than that, but I’ll save spoilers for the end. The important thing to know is that ToS has an elaborate story that while it doesn’t invent anything, it is still fascinating and wonderfully presented. So if you don’t want spoilers, which is kinda the only way to explain the plot, then know this, it is a shiny gem among the JRPG mine that encourages people like me who don’t like the genre to keep digging...through slowly. I’d go into more detail about the plot and the characters, but honestly, just play it. I will say through, the game has a remarkable sense of humor, which, along with numerous lampshade hangings, makes even the most cliché plot points seem entertaining.

Now for those of you who played the game, or don’t care about spoilers, then just some of my personal notes concerning the story. One thing that struck me was the moral of the story and how, while still very idealistic, was actually pretty thought out, and not quite the typical platitude seen in most video games. The central concept of the story is that people shouldn’t have to sacrifice themselves for a cause, that a truly good person will find a way to do good without sacrificing others, through it is much harder. And I have to say, I kinda like that. I like that the hero rejects not just the sacrifice of innocents, but even people who try to sacrifice themselves. It is absurdly idealistic of course, but the game does acknowledge that, and the massive obstacles faced by somebody who would follow such a path. I mean, if the main characters had simply accepted the need for sacrifice of a single life to save many, and gone along with the unfair system, the game would have been only 1/8 the length as it had been, and they would have been heroes for the rest of their lives, opposed to a massive journey full of hardship and pain. And honestly, while I think the ethics are rather naïve, I agree with it, that it is better to fight against an unfair system than to accept it. Through there are a few inconsistencies, for all of the talk of racism, not much detail goes into the Designs (Half elf Nazis) and how the main characters do kill them pretty nonchalantly (along with the Papal Knights, who only are doing there jobs). But that aside, I like the message of the game, which is rare for a video game to even have a message worth conveying. I also like the dynamic between the Mithos and Lloyd, the latter’s idealism vs. the formers cynicism. Mithos is interesting both in his status as a hero, which is partly legitimate, and his utter apathy for the world around him. He cares about his sister, and gives half hearted effort to caring about his people, but mostly he simply accepts peoples’ weakness as inevitable, and thus doesn’t bother trying to change people, just keep them in check. He deliberately stagnates society and technology because he is convinced that people can’t use power for good, and he tries to rid the world of racism by taking away free will because he thinks people are fundamentally unable to accept each other and doesn’t bother any other way, he dictates who’s lives are sacrificed and whose lives prosper, because he feels human kind can’t take care of themselves (and if this sounds like an Objectivist rant, I assure you, I would never stoop that low). Mithos simply has no faith in anyone but himself and his sister, which might explain his devotion to the latter. Lloyd in contrast, believes in people and has faith in them, and in there ability to change. While Mithos is ultimately alone, Lloyd has 8 other dudes to help him beat people up, and yes, this is a game where the “friendship speech” actually works, shocking as that may be. The whole concept is faith, not in religion per say (which doesn’t really come up much, in a game about angels) but instead in human nature. Now again, Lloyd has the advantage that he is in a situation where people can have faith, opposed to a more complex issue, like say, real politics, but I digress. There are a few nitpicks when it comes to the game, for example, the levels themselves range from painfully tedious to outright infuriating, the wind valley and the sewers being the most painful examples. And I wish they went more into the characters of the pope and the Cruxis, who are only sketched out. But I am nitpicking, in all, the story is astounding. Finally…Zelos. Who I think is the best character in the game series. The moment he is introduced as a foppish ladies man, the audience knows he is more than that and the playboy look is just a disguise, but instead of the pervert who is in fact a gentlemen, I was honestly shocked when it is revealed that he is in fact just an embittered, selfish, self hating cynic in the end, who, like Mithos has little faith in anything. And the thing is, he honestly hides it quite well. When I played through the game the first time, I had no idea about the true nature of his personality, despite numerous hints. It wasn’t until he second play through when it became apparent, in one of the most shocking/emotional traitor scenes I’ve ever seen, especially since you actually kill him. The character is more multi layered than anybody else in the cast, because he is more subtle, you don’t get a sense of his true personality until later, and so he didn’t become my favorite character until my third play through, when I caught all the hints I’ve missed. Just another example of really good writing

So ToS is an example of a very good JRPG, proving that the formula of the genre isn’t inherently bad. But the second question is, while it does prove the formula workable, does it prove it beneficial. And in that I say, no. While it does an excellent job of telling a good story and being a good game, I still can’ in good honesty say that the game is somehow better because the land map is just one avatar walking around, or that combat takes place in some separate world, or that I can’t choose more than two options. In fact, the best part of the game is when you can choose how to influence a single party member. Honestly, ToS isn’t great because of its formula, but because of its writing. The formula doesn’t seem to actually help the game, the game just used it to tell its own story and show its own characters. So yes, JRPGs in there current form can work, but while ToS is amazing and I recommend it to everybody out there (and I hope to play more tales games) it doesn’t debunk the complaints towards JRPGs, it just averts them
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