Tales of the Abyss
The classically hit-or-miss RPG series returns to the PS2 with, finally, a hit.
Published: October 25, 2006
Abyss isn't without it's requisite side-quests and back stories either; at certain parts of the game, you can tap Select and get a little expository conversation between some of all of the party about the events that have happened thus far. Unfortunately, they completely lack voice acting, yet the text is still paced as if someone were speaking it, leading to some parts being cut off or shown too quickly. What's more, these are rather important and key to filling out some of the information about characters and their motivations, so it's an even more glaring oversight.
The game also has a slightly annoying habit of locking you into a linear sequence of events, which can happen just as you figure out that you need to get back to an earlier quest given out by someone in town, though it rarely blocks you from backtracking a little later on; you just have to remember to do it.
Some of that backtracking is aided by the fact that the battles are not only fun, but visually appealing as well. To an outsider, watching late-game fights can look absolutely chaotic, but there's a definite method to the madness, and though the game supports four actual controllers during the fights, the AI can be tweaked to, for the most part, heal and attack and support as needed. It's not perfect, but it certainly does the trick when friends aren't around, and again, it's all rather purdy.
In fact, the game as whole is impressive. There's aren't many instances of absolutely jaw-dropping gorgeousness; the overworld itself is painfully bland, and the actual mini-arenas you'll fight in aren't terribly rife with detail, but perhaps this was so the game could pile on the particle effects and huge weapons trails at a fantastically smooth framerate. The character models certainly sport plenty of detail and move accordingly, and they're often in great proportion to some of the larger, more impressive vistas in the game.
The voice acting as well is absolutely fantastic. Anime fans -- even casual ones -- will likely hear a couple familiar voices, but that's not a bad thing; there are some extremely well-delivered lines that use nuance and tone in a way that you don't normally get in JRPGs. In fact, it's safe to say that one of the driving forces behind my speedy affection for some of the characters (and most of my hate) came from the dialogue and voices. The rest of the effects are a little more subdued, mostly grunts and yelps with some splashy strike and block sounds. It's good, but not amazing.
The music, however, can be, and so help me, I actually started to like the cheesy synth guitar intro (it's playing as I type this, actually). The rest of the music ranges from regal to morose to almost sickeningly happy, and many of the major plot points in the game are punctuated perfectly by aural cues in the soundtrack.
You know what, screw it. There's really no reason to keep plodding along. If you're a JRPG fan, you need this game. If you're a Tales fan, you need this game, and if you're a newcomer to either, this is an awfully good way to get started. Yes, you'll have to stick it out for longer than you probably ought to. Yes, you'll have to deal with one of the crappiest main characters in the history of RPGs, but with the plot twist happens everything changes and what was already good about the game becomes icing on the cake.
I know Final Fantasy XII is right around the corner, and there's no way you'll beat Abyss by the time it hits, but the game is honestly good enough to push any other major RPG contenders to the side -- if only for a little while. It's about time the PS2 got a good Tales game here in the States, a though this one isn't perfect, it's story well worth being told.
