Tales of Phantasia
1998
- role-playing (rpg)
- adventure
- fantasy
- single player
The story
The PS1 version of Tales of Phantasia contains new features including an animated opening sequence produced by Japanese studio Production I.G., re-drawn character sprites and backgrounds, a 3D-rendered world map, and re-recorded character audio to better accommodate the compact disc format. The inclusion of animated Skits and a modified version of the battle system resembling that used in Destiny, were added. For the battle system, the team wanted to increase the overall battle speed and combo potential. Suzu Fubayashi, a non-playable supporting character in the original release, was also made playable as an optional party member.
What it’s like
Hand-painted fantasy backdrops of forests, towns and ruins, with bright, rounded character sprites that sit comfortably inside them, give this game a storybook warmth, and the animated opening sequence brings a glossy anime sheen to the start. Overworld travel moves across a 3D-rendered map, which adds a slightly cooler, toy-like distance to the landscape. The score is lush and melodic, with bright orchestral-style themes that swell during battles and soften in towns. Pacing is steady and episodic: long stretches of walking and talking are broken by quick, cheerful battles and short comic skits between characters. Its tone is gentle, nostalgic and openly optimistic, with a time-travel adventure about a young hero and his friends gradually growing closer and more confident. Violence is cartoonish and bloodless, with monsters defeated in bursts of colour and no gore, and it stays low on fear or cruelty. It suits a lazy afternoon, a comfort replay, or a gentle evening with a controller. It is for players who love classic role-playing journeys with warm, low-stakes charm.
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