Is anyone else NOT excited for Abyss?

[Leroy]

I just found out that Tales of the Abyss is coming out this week.. which is odd since I've practically been counting down the days until the Destiny remake is released in Japan. But, anyway, this is the first English Tales release (save for Destiny, which I had to discover) that I'm not overtly excited for. I'm still getting it this week.. and I'll probably start off on a high note.. but I have a feeling it's going to end up like Symphonia or Legendia where halfway through the game starts to drag for me and ends up feeling like a chore to play it (my friend who has played the Japanese version has informed me of its length).

Personally, I'm more looking forward to Destiny (and I'm hoping they didn't bloat its length by too much) and then there's Wii in November with that Zelda thing and Ys Origin in December, not to mention I'm being assaulted with great GBA and DS games until the year's end (but I mostly play those when I'm at work).

I guess I'm just worried where I'm going to get all the time to play these games.

[Stahn Ailron]

Well, I already have Abyss (Japanese version of course) and anything they might be adding I could just look up online.

So, you're not exactly the only one not that excited. Destiny is the one I'm waiting for as well!

[throughhim413]

I'm still excited for Abyss.  Regardless of flaws, I love Tales.  I love Phantasia, I really like Symphonia, I even like Legendia.  So there's no reason for me to expect that I won't enjoy it.  Perhaps if I were planning on buying the Destiny remake, I would care less about Abyss.  But honestly, with all of the games coming out at this time of the year, I don't know if I can justify spending so much on it.  Though, the price I originally found was $80ish.  The $65 at Play-Asia is sitting a little better with me... So who knows.

But yeah, I'm looking forward to Abyss.  Even with all the other games out there, Tales has yet to give me a reason to doubt when it comes to the main-line games.

[Cless]

As much as I'm excited for the best Tales ever (Abyss), my excitement for that and everything else this season is completely dwarfed a twentyfold by Valkyrie Profile 2 (most anticipated game in years, far and away). Once that dies down though, ToA will be huge... the only other thing that comes close is Zelda: Twlight Princess.

[Joan-Michele]

I'm pondering whether to get ToTA first then ToDPS2, or vice versa, or both at the same time. O_o It all depends on how much money I'm willing to save.

[Leroy]

As much as I'm excited for the best Tales ever (Abyss), my excitement for that and everything else this season is completely dwarfed a twentyfold by Valkyrie Profile 2 (most anticipated game in years, far and away). Once that dies down though, ToA will be huge... the only other thing that comes close is Zelda: Twlight Princess.

Man, I should probably give VP a try sometime.. it's been on my shelf for a couple of years now, yet to enter the Playstation once.

[Kogahazan]

I'm not too excited because I already have the Japanese version. I am sort of anxious to see what they did with the dub. The only thing that comes close to exciting me is that I can play it in English... I'm just generally happy that finally Americans can get this great game, regardless of how the localization turns out.

[Sword-Breaker]

Yeah it actually does lag, I got the Japanese version last year and I didn't beat it til like August of this year.  I kinda got tired of it towards the end.  It was just drawn out like Symphonia was.

[Gutterflower]

I thought Abyss was terrific when I played thorugh it last spring.  However, I felt the same was about Legendia until I got the NA version.  I think I might wait a little while until I actually feel like playing it, rather than forcing it. 

I should be more excited about Destiny, as the original was my most favorite game ever (honestly ...).  I'm sure once I start playing it I will get into it.

[Kogahazan]

I thought Abyss was terrific when I played thorugh it last spring.  However, I felt the same was about Legendia until I got the NA version.  I think I might wait a little while until I actually feel like playing it, rather than forcing it.

If you've taken a break for like a month or so already, I'd say it's time to pick it up again. Because if you keep putting it off, you'll never get around to it. For me, what I do is when I get the slightest inkling to play a game again, I do it. I force myself to play it and usually I find it enjoyable again (if the game was supposed to be enjoyable to begin with). I did that with Destiny because I didn't like it the first time, but after taking a break, I forced myself to play again and I found it more enjoyable.

[Phren]

What's everyone's opinion of the battle system? if that's fun, it's a good "Tales of" game for me. It's really most of what I like about them.

[stahn]

Well I think US version of the game ToA will be fun but it will never be the same like Eternia or Destiny 1,2, remake I too wait for remake and even if it's 2D fighting system it's still better then Abyss, S,or Legendia 3D.

But like Cless I was completely knock down by the VP2 and I don't think there will be better rpg game on ps2.

[Cyllya]

I don't know if I just got burnt out or what, but I'm having trouble getting excited for any upcoming Tales. Maybe it just hasn't sunken in mentally that their release dates are so close.

Anyway, I've played ToA in Japanese with Spekio's trans, so I'm going to be playing the English version for NPCs and silent skits.

What's everyone's opinion of the battle system? if that's fun, it's a good "Tales of" game for me. It's really most of what I like about them.

It's fun. I was mildly bummed that free run was almost always the only worthwhile method of evading attacks (not just because it was there, but because backstepping and jumping were gimped compared to ToS), since that took away a bit of the good ol' Tales feel, but it wasn't a big deal.

[Kajitani-Eizan]

not that i've played it yet, but from what i've seen... it seems like the free run in abyss is broken. looks to me like they should nerf it in future tales or make enemy AI more robust in regards to it. think about it in real life: you shouldn't be able to evade an attack by running perpendicular to your enemy. a quick back- or side-step, maybe, but simply locomoting in a direction that isn't AWAY from the enemy shouldn't net you a dodge.

also, enemies shouldn't continue to chain at midair, either spells should be harder to dodge or AI should work together so that a physical attacker will try hard to trap you inside a spell's range, enemy AI movement should appear less jerky and irrational, etc. etc.

i say this at risk of sounding like a vegh, so correct me if i'm wrong.

[Leroy]

Well, the Fry's ad should be out today.. if they don't have a decent sale on it I'll probably stop by Best Buy and do my usual $5 off method. I need to pick up a birthday present for a friend anyway so I'll get to take out two birds with one stone, er.. C-note.

[Leroy]

No sale at Fry's.

But they've got God Hand for $25!