Tales of Hearts for the DS

[spaceworlder]

Now that I think about it, I've never been much of a fan of "photo-realistic" CG/models in JRPGs. They look bland, and the realism clashes with the stylized character designs.Cel-animated cut scenes are more striking and suitable to this genre, and I vastly prefer quality cel-shading to the visual approach of, say, Final Fantasy XIII.

[Cless Aileron]

I'm starting like the CG a little more, though I am feeling pretty indifferent about both side.  This discussion is reminding me about something I was thinking about as of late.

The whole anime thing about Tales was something I never thought about when I got into the series, so I can say that the anime thing was not one of the reasons I got into the series.  I also don't think the anime aspect is what made it unique anyway (I think this is where I should start naming off games, past and present, with the anime aspect).

Not to mention, I used to think that Tales was more known as that "RPG series with the real time fighting game-like battle system" or "The RPG with the battle system comparable to Star Ocean."  These days, it doesn't seem like it.  It seem like the series is "That anime game" or something like that rather than the ones I said above.  It got me to think "Is that all they think the series is?  The anime aspect?"

Maybe that's why I'm indifferent to both sides.  The CG isn't that bad and even if it's still the anime cut scene , I'd still like to see Tales to be thought of more than some "anime game" even if it's never in the same league as Final Fantasy.  Maybe it also doesn't help that I haven't really been into anime much these days (especially when one certain friend of mine killed anime a lot for me).

Maybe I'm trying to saying, "Anime aspect or not, I just want it to still feel like it's Tales." and probably "See it for more than its anime aspect."

[spaceworlder]

I can't say I'm a particular fan of anime either. I just hate the dead-eyed CG renders. They lack a warmth and character that radiates naturally from the hand-drawn artwork.

[Kevassa]

The CG is good, but I don't like where this is going. When I watched the CG trailer, you know what it made me think of? Final Fantasy. Now I like Final Fantasy as much as I should (I'm buying Final Fantasy XIII, I'm not going to kid myself on that) but I like the Tales series because it's not Final Fantasy. It's not like anything else. The Tales series is unique and does what it does independently of what other series are doing. This, to me, seems like Namco coming up to us and saying "Hi! We're going to ruin all that stuff you said about uniqueness because we want more money", which makes me a very depressed gamer.

I mean, for God's sake, this is why I don't so as much gaming as I used to. There's less and less that inspires me by rising above the rest of the pack, Tales of Vesperia managed to do this recently, but it seems Namco feel they have to make their games look like everyone else's if they're going to keep up in the 21st century, which is an attitude sure to drive me away.

Ive heard this response of a few gamers about namco being "Ruining the series because of [motive that involves  cheap  fan money]" I dont think so... I dont see how they are so dramatically changing, maybe its just my selfish happy look to the series, and maybe its just me, but I still love the series and I think the small additions to each entry are something good, while the bad stuff can be forgotten

[navydude]

That game looks awesome... it looks really cool... i'll get both versions lol... Hopefully

[Rmarques]

New CG trailer.

New anime trailer.

Looks like they're putting more effort into the CG trailers. Some of the lines and footage in the anime trailer were in the previous ones already.

[spaceworlder]

The CG still looks awful.

[Rhapsody]

I'm sticking to what I said previously. Maybe Namco's one of those developers who should be forbidden from messing with the formula for one of their series, like Sega and a certain blue hedgehog who we all wish would go back to the old days of running around and spin attacking dumb robots. Not transforming into a 'werehog' (WTF Sega?), using a sword for some unfathomable reason, or getting involved in yet more bloody time travel adventures.

I'm also getting less impressed with the CG. It just seems bland and soulless to me. It'll look good, for about 5 minutes. Then some other developer will come out with a new game that has 10 more polygons per second of CG rubbish. The animation will last and last. Note how the remade Tales of Destiny uses pretty much the same intro as it did nine years previously. Can you imagine Square pulling the same trick with Final Fantasy VII? One looks good in both 1997 and 2006, the other does not.

Incidentally, did anyone else read a lot into the covers? Anime version plastered with Mutsumi Inomata's admittedly brilliant artwork, the CG version with... the logo... on a blank, white background. Faces even a mother couldn't love...

[ForceCube]

Note how the remade Tales of Destiny uses pretty much the same intro as it did nine years previously. Can you imagine Square pulling the same trick with Final Fantasy VII? One looks good in both 1997 and 2006, the other does not.

Good point.

Incidentally, did anyone else read a lot into the covers? Anime version plastered with Mutsumi Inomata's admittedly brilliant artwork, the CG version with... the logo... on a blank, white background. Faces even a mother couldn't love...

I noticed that too.Maybe they know the CG version won't sell if people can see in the cover what they're buying.