In the Tales series, the storytelling is that of an anime. This doesn’t mean that the writing is

subpar by any means. It’s the contrary! The Tales series have a heavy narrative focus, giving the

audience something to extremely care about. You care about the characters. The cast is very

loveable, no matter the game. The narrative and the dynamic of the characters are usually fleshed

out through various skits, which are optional. There are plenty of character arcs. Ultimately, the

Tales series are a group of games that are great at including tons of intricate entertaining

character moments.

Enough about the storytelling -- there are 16 games in the main series alone, with various

subseries titles. Based on availability and quality, if you want to break into the franchise, this is

where you should start!

There will be no spoilers here. First things first, I am going to need you to bring out that old

Gamecube. Tales of Symphonia is the first game I would recommend you to get into the

franchise. This game is from 2003, so be warned. Tales of Symphonia introduced the 3D battle

system to the franchise while still retaining 2D elements. The graphics do hold up, in case you

are wondering. There are extras like being able to change costumes, which would later become a

staple. In terms of the battle mechanics, you will be focused on mixing basic attacks with special

attacks governed by Technical Points (TP), which is Tales series magical resource. You can play

with any character on the roster, and each character has their own specific battle style. The theme

of the battle system is fast-paced, reactionary battles. Also, you can grab a friend and have them

play with you also, which controlling the map as well. This game has a length that is on par with

old school 90s JRPGs, so you are going to have your hands full with this one.