• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Tales of Graces f Remastered - Reviews Thread

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Game Information

Game Title: Tales of Graces f Remastered

Platforms:
  • Xbox Series X/S (Jan 16, 2025)
  • PlayStation 5 (Jan 16, 2025)
  • Nintendo Switch (Jan 16, 2025)
  • PC (Jan 16, 2025)
  • Xbox One (Jan 16, 2025)
  • PlayStation 4 (Jan 16, 2025)
Trailer:
Developer: TOSE Co., LTD.

Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 83 average - 88% recommended
Metacritic - 86 average (Switch version)



FASb6y2.png



urDKvm8.png




Critic Reviews


CGMagazine - Zubi Khan - 8 / 10
Tales of Graces F Remastered is a worthy return to one of the more underrated entries into the series for a brand new console generation to enjoy


Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - 8 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered is an excellent remaster that offers some worthwhile improvements and saves another game from console purgatory. While the combat system is one of the best in the series, the story is sometimes predictable, and the score doesn't invoke any lasting memories.


Destructoid - Steven Mills - 8.5 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered is everything a remaster should be: graphical upgrades that make an old game look better on modern platforms, a trove of quality-of-life additions that make the game better while staying true to the original version, and inclusion of all the DLC for the complete package.


Game Lodge - Jean Kei - Portuguese - 8 / 10
The first time I played Tales of Graces I didn't like it very much, but now I value it much more for the interactions with the characters and how much I enjoyed and engaged with its combat. It's a good installment in the franchise that was stuck on an old console and has now become much more accessible, and it's a really fun game to get to know.


Game Rant - Matt Karoglou - 9 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered frees the PS3 classic from its console exclusivity, bringing one of the series' best entries to modern hardware.


GameBlast - Ivanir Ignacchitti - Portuguese - 8.5 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered is a new opportunity for a great game in the franchise to reach a new audience and allows old fans to relive this jewel on current systems. Though it doesn't stand out as a remaster, with many other projects that are more competent in the market, this compete pack of the action RPG is an easy recommendation for fans of the genre.


GameGrin - Alana Dunitz - 10 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered is a great RPG that does everything right with a compelling story and battle system. It's a must-play!


Gamer Guides - Jarrod Garripoli - 84 / 100
Tales of Graces F Remastered is a faithful remaster that improves upon the original PS3 version in every way. While it doesn’t really change much at its core, including some of its original flaws, it does have quite a few quality of life additions that makes it the best iteration for fans of the series and the original.


GamingTrend - Katelyn Lawlor - 80 / 100
Overall, Tales of Graces f Remastered is the same enjoyable experience from over a decade ago brought back in a clean package that runs well with some decent quality of life additions like the markers and toggles. Bandai Namco and the developers nailed it this time, no strings attached with this remaster. As for Tales of Graces itself, it stands out in the series with its sillier cast, striking art style, fast paced combat, and easy-to-understand and fun to master Title system. While I think this is the Tales Of game that benefits from co-op the most, you're getting a fun RPG with a lot of "power of friendship" speeches so if that appeals to you, you're in for a great time.


Kakuchopurei - Jonathan Toyad - 80 / 100
Tales Of Graces F is an underrated gem that goes back to basics in the action RPG department while delivering a heartfelt tale. The remaster preserves all these aspects while offering optional quality-of-life changes (and ways to speed up the process), not to mention a graphical upgrade that justifies its price tag.


MonsterVine - Nick Mangiaracina - 3.5 / 5
Tales of Graces f Remastered is the best this game has looked and the definitive experience. While I think delisting the original was unnecessary, I think it’s great that Tales of games are being brought to all modern consoles and no longer locked to single platforms. Though a bit pricey, Tales of Graces f Remastered takes a fan favorite into the modern era and makes it available for more people than ever with some quality-of-life functionality that the original sorely needed.


NintendoWorldReport - Allyson Cygan - 8.5 / 10
All told, Tales of Graces f Remastered is an impressive game, with some of my favorite game characters and gameplay in some time. It looks and runs like a dream on the Switch, too, which made for a wonderful visual experience. Reportedly Bandai Namco is looking to remaster more of the Tales series, and after Graces f Remastered, I hope we'll see those sooner rather than later.


Noisy Pixel - Bailey Seemangal - 9.5 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered delivers an exemplary action RPG experience, blending heartfelt storytelling, a masterfully crafted combat system, and deep customization mechanics. With its timeless characters, meaningful progression, and modernized quality-of-life updates, this is a must-play for fans of the Tales of series and JRPG enthusiasts alike.


NookGaming - Thomas Knight - 8 / 10
While Tales of Graces f Remastered won't win any awards for its typical plot about an ever-growing threat, its tale of friendship and the moments between characters just might. It's an excellent remaster of a JRPG with surprisingly engaging combat, and well worth playing.


One More Game - Vincent Ternida - 8 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered is a well-crafted remaster, offering players the opportunity to experience the classic title on their terms. Whether you wish to adjust the pacing and difficulty to match your skill level, embrace new challenges, or preserve the original experience, this title caters to all preferences and really displays how this remaster goes over and beyond just polishing visuals.


Push Square - Jenny Jones - 7 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered is a fantastic action-RPG where an array of quality-of-life improvements make this a fun adventure for both new and returning players. Push through the sluggish opening hours and you’ll find an entertaining tale with characters who are full of charm.


RPG Fan - Paul Skevington - 85 / 100
Tales of Graces f Remastered presents the ideal way to experience this enjoyable entry in the Tales series. While I can’t promise Graces will revolutionise your view of the genre, I can assure you of an enjoyable time in the company of an entertaining group of characters, coupled to a battle system that gets your adrenaline flowing. Just like Sophie, the memories you create in your time here will be worth the journey.


Shacknews - Lucas White - 8 / 10
Quote not yet available


Siliconera - Stephanie Liu - 9 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered is a promising way for Bandai Namco to start its year, as well as a potential Tales renaissance.


Spaziogames - Italian - 7 / 10
Tales of Graces F Remastered is a game that might leave you somewhat indifferent if you look only and exclusively at the graphics. However, the numerous internal improvements, the novel options and the smoothing out of the edges typical of jrpg's of the old era, may bring a new audience to the saga or attract all those who for some reason skipped over this good and perhaps under-celebrated chapter.


TechRaptor - Erren Van Duine - 8 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered is a solid entry in the Tales of series. While the characters and story can be cliche at times, the overarching themes remain strong, and Bandai Namco's efforts to modernize the game are a standout showing.


TheSixthAxis - Miguel Moran - 9 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered represents the absolute best of what the Tales series has to offer - and this version is easily the best way to experience such a charming and fun JRPG.


Video Chums - Mary Billington - 8.2 / 10
Tales of Graces f Remastered features one of the most interesting storylines in the series and a bunch of mechanics that make it thoroughly stand out. As long as you can enjoy very linear structure, this remaster is a great RPG to spend time with.


Worth Playing - Chris "Atom" DeAngelus - 8 / 10
Overall, Tales of Graces f Remastered is a strong remaster of a solid game. The plot is relatively weak but handily carried by its extremely strong combat system, which makes the game worth playing on its own. The additions to the remaster are all genuine improvements, and even the bundling of cheat-mode DLC is only a problem if you let it be. If you're a fan of action-RPGs or the Tales franchise and haven't given Graces f a gander, this is the ideal way to play it.


XboxEra - Genghis Husameddin - 7.8 / 10
Playing Tales of Graces f again gives me a chance to reflect on the game’s story, which I enjoyed more so in my last playthrough some eight years ago. But I enjoyed running through the game’s campaign way more than Vesperia’s (which is nothing but a blur to me) thanks to fun cast members with a great English dub and an incredibly fun combat system. Don’t go into Tales of Graces f Remastered expecting deep worldbuilding and level design and I think you’ll have a lot of fun that way. ∎
 
Last edited:

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
It looks and runs like a dream on the Switch, too, which made for a wonderful visual experience.

Sold. Was worried the Switch port would run like crap, but I'd really love to play this on the go.
 

od-chan

Member
I hope this does well in sales because I love this franchise (or rather, used to love) and I really want to see Xillia getting ported, so I finally don't have to mess around with Undubs anymore, which is a pain (the american voice acting just sucks so much though that it's basically required).

I'm not sure how well it will do though, but that obviously entirely depends on what Bamco considers "well". Tales isn't the most popular franchise to begin with and allthough I love Graces (Hanazawa Kana <3 <3 <3) I always thought Graces was one of the weaker titles, maybe because it was designed for the Wii initially and had some constraints around that? Also I always found it hilarious that they hired someone FOR THE MAIN CAST who had done H-Anime before. What I'm saying is, this is no Vesperia, Abyss or Xillia.
 

Fake

Member
Tales of Symphonia problem was lazy devs using the PS port as a base instead of the Game Cube.

Just like Crytek with that shit Crysis Remastered using the X360/PS3 port as a base instead of the PC.
 

Hyet

Member
Everyone crapped on this game back in the day, now its recognized as a hidden gem. Unmatched RPG combat, would play this over actual action titles. The story is flat but endearing. The music is 70% irredimable crap tho.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Tales of Symphonia was 60fps on Gamecube, but runs at 30FPS on PS5/SX/Switch.

It's a legit concern with these ports, lol.
Came here to mention this exactly. I think they know they fucked up with that one (or at least, I hope they know) so I was optimistic this would have a good showing. From the reviews, that seems to be the case.
 
I already have the PS3 version, so I doubt this one is worth getting all over again.
The point isn’t to get people like yourself to play a newer version, the point is to get people who haven’t played the game a chance to do so without needing to buy a PS3.

I hope Bandai Namco and other devs continue to successfully extract more of their games from the PS3 until it is no longer needed.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.

YeulEmeralda

Linux User
The point isn’t to get people like yourself to play a newer version, the point is to get people who haven’t played the game a chance to do so without needing to buy a PS3.

I hope Bandai Namco and other devs continue to successfully extract more of their games from the PS3 until it is no longer needed.
Also AFAIK PS5 can't play PS3 games.
 

LordCBH

Member
Tales of Symphonia was 60fps on Gamecube, but runs at 30FPS on PS5/SX/Switch.

It's a legit concern with these ports, lol.

God every single version of Synphonia is garbage…except the amazing GameCube one. I really don’t understand how Bamco fucked up Symphonia so bad. Multiple times.
 
I didn't know it came out on Wii back then. And i still need to pick up ToS: Dawn of the New World unless this one got ported to Switch also.

Definitely will pick this up for Switch one day.
 
The point isn’t to get people like yourself to play a newer version, the point is to get people who haven’t played the game a chance to do so without needing to buy a PS3.

I hope Bandai Namco and other devs continue to successfully extract more of their games from the PS3 until it is no longer needed.
I agree, it's for people who don't have a PS3 hooked up to their systems, and I highly recommend the game to people. I might even pick up a copy on Switch one day just for playing it on the go.

I also think it's a top five Tales game.
 

Paltheos

Member
I didn't know it came out on Wii back then. And i still need to pick up ToS: Dawn of the New World unless this one got ported to Switch also.

Definitely will pick this up for Switch one day.

From everything I've heard, Symphonia 2 is not worth anyone's time. Awful writing with a somehow smaller scope world, worse combat with fewer options and braindead AI even by Tales standards. I can't think of a single good thing about it.

I've played Graces f all the way through. Bad writing (for pretty much anything related to the main scenario) but the character writing eventually gets better, sometimes great music, and most importantly the best combat system in the entire series. It's almost unbelievable how much everything around combat can carry the game but it does. Graces is the measuring stick I use for fighting systems in all Tales games since then, and clearly Bamco agreed from how much its successors (minus Xillia) tried replicating many of Graces' elements with limited success.
 
I picked it up, Tales games are just JRPG comfort food. I wonder if we'll see an all new mainline installment announced this year / soon?
 

DeceptiveAlarm

Gold Member
I just beat Arise yesterday. It was my first tales of game. I really enjoyed it. I decided to play it based on loving ff16. I might check this out.
 
I really enjoyed this game on PS3 and I’m really enjoying it now. Bamco! Xillia next please!

Xillia 1 and 2 are some of the only few games stuck in the PS3 only purgatory, would be nice for them to have modern releases.

Well they've said this is all part of a grander plan to remaster all the older Tales games for modern platforms. Vesperia and Symphonia are already done, one would think the next would be Abyss or Xillia.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Well they've said this is all part of a grander plan to remaster all the older Tales games for modern platforms. Vesperia and Symphonia are already done, one would think the next would be Abyss or Xillia.

While Vesperia is my GOAT Tales game, I have a very soft spot for Abyss. That was the first Tales of.. game I really played and got into the franchise with.
 

StereoVsn

Gold Member
I remember the game having a great combat system but absolutely terrible “Power of Friendship” storyline and characters. It was quite insufferable. Still have a PS3 copy , but that’s one game I never replayed.
 

StereoVsn

Gold Member
While Vesperia is my GOAT Tales game, I have a very soft spot for Abyss. That was the first Tales of.. game I really played and got into the franchise with.
Abyss was probably the best PS2/PS3 Tales of games, IMO. It actually had character development! *shocked.

And combat system was very serviceable. Even the 3DS game was quite good port.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Also it’s not Tales, but it feels like it has a lot of the DNA of it: Eternal Sonata. One of my favorite PS3 games deserves new life!

Oh yeah, it's been literal decade(s) since I've played it. From what I recall, it plays very similar to Tales of .. games of that era.
 
I never played this. I watched the trailer on the PSN store. I'm looking for action combat. But it appears to be a JRPG so how much time is spent in story scenes? Can they be skipped?
 

od-chan

Member
I never played this. I watched the trailer on the PSN store. I'm looking for action combat. But it appears to be a JRPG so how much time is spent in story scenes? Can they be skipped?

A LOT. The story is what makes these games. The gameplay is great.... for a JRPG. This isn't exactly Ninja Gaiden or Dark Souls. So yeah, if you don't care for the story I don't think you'll enjoy this one too much.

Coincidentally, since I just mentioned how key the story is to these games: It's honestly baffling to me how people in the west were "fine" for decades with playing Tales only with an english dub. It's horrible, god awful. Maybe "native" US/Canada people have less issues with that since they're usually much more tolerant of shit dubs, I don't know. Tales of Vesperia was my first entry into the game and luckily back then there were already undub versions (or at least in progress). But I'm glad Bamco (as well as other publishers/devs) are finally giving us the original voice track too.

Like especially with Tales with all the skits and stuff. So glad the times changed.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
They must have used some real good AI upscaling for the intro anime video cause I don't remember it looking that clean, even for the PS3 re-release.
 
Ten hours in and the amount of running back and forth through areas you’ve already been through is starting to drive me bananas
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Ten hours in and the amount of running back and forth through areas you’ve already been through is starting to drive me bananas

Yeah unfortunately this is one of those games that doesn't get a fast travel 'thing' right up until the end of the game, and its main function is to help you do side quests, cause you're already at the final dungeon by the time you get it.

Sucks.
 

Hyet

Member
Hopefully they remaster Both Xillias at some point. Xillia 2 is probably the best Tales of.

Altough what I would like is some kind of "definitive remix" between the two since Xillia ends so abruptly and unsatisfiyingly and X2 is so much better, but only works if you played X1. So I think it would be ideal if they could merge the two somehow and make them flow properly.
 
This is the second JRPG I've played in a row where the party has been swallowed alive by a giant monster in a desert and has to escape from the inside. I kind of love this trope, not gonna lie, but just think it's funny (especially since one was a 2024 game and this is a like a 2009 game)
 
Was the first Tales game I put a lot of time in to back in the day so somewhat nostalgic, Shame this remaster barely looks better than the emulated PS3 original I played a bit last year. I guess being able to play past 30fps without speeding up the game is great, but man paying like £25 for 120fps has me feeling like I've had pants pulled down by Bamco
 
Top Bottom