Special thanks to todays Sponsor Icedtea-Aesthetics! They make some pretty killer merch and if you like what you see it would be a huge help if at check-out you use the promo codes below! www.icedtea-aesthetics.com/ PROMO CODES: TARKS - Save 10% off your order TARKS20 - Save 20% off orders with 3 or more items! Otherwise, I hope you guys enjoyed this look back! Tales of the Abyss is an incredible tales game from a story perspective and deserves a place in the JRPG hall of fame, though It really cannot be done justice in a standard review-structure video like this. Also, I quote the runtime in the vid as 55-70 hours but it can probably be completely in 44-ish if you just B-line your way through. My play for this video was 70 hours, but the last completed play on my memory card was 55 so I kind of just took them as 2 averages. More Abyss content will be coming, but it might be a bit to get it together. Hope to see you all again then!
“N.D. 2021… There shall be born within the people a growing desire for a remastered Tales of the Abyss. Yet Bamco will not heed the people’s call.” Let’s see this Score overturned, shall we?
Tales of the Abyss isn’t just my favourite Tales game, but one of my favourite JRPGS of all time. The story still has a place in my heart all these years later. I’m almost Jade’s age and I understand his “old man” humour more and more each year.
Fingers crossed that we see a proper remaster/remake of this game within the next 10 years. I played this game so many times but never saw much conversation about it in the past. Maybe now that the internet is so widespread, I'm seeing quite a lot of praise for it. Great review.
Knowing Bandai they might wait until 2025 to do a "20 year anniversary" sort of release, but I really hope we can get one within the year or two after Arise releases.
I just started playing this game for the first time. I can definitely see the similarities with Symphonia. I miss the days of puzzles in dungeons and world maps like you were saying. Great review. 😌
It came as a shock to me a couple years ago that apparently a lot of people don't like puzzles in JRPG dungeons and I don't get why. It's the one thing that usually makes the dungeons really unique. Otherwise they're all the same. Walk down corridor, pull lever to open path, backtrack to new path, walk down new corridor. I miss when JRPG dungeons were more puzzle focused.
@@TarksGauntlet And the dungeons in the most recent releases literally had no music while traversing most of the dungeons which exacerbated how much of a snooze fest they were. I really hope Tales of Arise does better.
You know I've only ever played 3 tales games Vesperia, Xillia, and Zestiria I should change that. Btw gotta say I love how animated you are in that ad and your humor is always right up my alley love it.
I have fun making ads tbh! The content is way different than what I normally get to do so it gives me a good opportunity to insert some more aloofness and jokes into the script while also shilling cool merch and good deals for my viewers. As far as tales goes, I played just about every mainline entry released in north america (And the phantasia SNES fan TL) though Zesteria is one of only 2 tales games I EVER dropped haha. And I think I was nearly done it too. I just wasn't clicking with it.
@@Fonic_Artes Symphonia 2. I'll give it another shot someday. I just was not ready for it to be so different. Did not approach it with the right mindset.
@@TarksGauntlet I remember liking Symphonia 2 for the character arcs of its leads, as well as the worldbuilding following up on the effects the first game’s events would have on the (mostly uninvolved/unaware) public. But I also haven’t played it in years, so I wonder how well it holds up now.
Tales of the Abyss was the reason I got a 3DS back in the day since we only got that version here in Europe. It was the second Tales of game I played(Vesperia being the first) and this game's story is something really special. I thought it was brilliantly done. My fav Tales game now is still Xillia 1 as I enjoy the combat in that one a lot more than the combat in Abyss but everyone who loves a RPG with a compelling story owe it to themselves to play this game at least once!
I'm glad to hear others talk about this game. I only played it recently, around two years ago and loved it. Was surprised how much I liked each character, and not to mention I think Luke & Tear's relationship was done very well in my opinion. I've been trying to get into the more recent Tales of games but I have to admit the loss of the world map is hitting me harder than I thought. Hoping I can give them another shot soon.
Abyss might be the best story/character balanced of all the games. I always have a hard time choosing which Tales game i think is the best from the series. I can't even put it in words lol, most of the games do one thing better than the other and vise versa, yet the big picture is still the same formula. One thing i can say tho, I can't think of a game where the character development of the protagonist is so well done as in Tales of Abyss. Luke is a fantastic main character.
Beginning: Luke can go fucking kill himself, but I’m still playing because he makes the story fucking hilarious. End: Luke is the most god tier character in storytelling period.
Tales of the Abyss will always hold a special place in my heart and you nailed all of its shortcomings and strongest merits You did the internet a service with this review ❤️❤️❤️
This was one of the first 3DS games I ever played. At the time, I remember finding it a bit of a slog, it was long and I was happy when I finished it - but 1) I wasn't much of a JRPG fan back then, and 2) there was some magic that kept me playing despite those feelings. This was a great video, and the summary brought back so many memories that I'd forgotten. I've actually just picked up Tales of Vesperia on Switch, so you've got me excited to explore this series a little more! Thanks!
I haven't played all the tales games but so far Abyss is my favorite. A lot of people don't seem to like Luke, but his character made sense to me. I was upset when everything comes clear and his party decides to throw him in the trash
Yeah, Luke really sold this game for me. But let’s be honest, he was that bad at the beginning. Not as a character, but if he was like that in real life, I would have said the exact same thing as that annoying ass child.
I love this game but I have a funny story with it. I got it on day one as a tales fan but hated Luke and that actually made me drop the game and took a while for me to come back and give it another shot. And that second-time boy was I wrong about Luke. Definitely one of the best character stories in gaming. I too miss the RPG overworlds. The only thing that I hated is that I missed the last landing dock for the airship due to how the game doesn't tell you anything.
The biggest complaint I have to agree with is, if you want to fully experience this game, you basically need a guide. A good amount of the optional end game stuff is locked behind a side quest where you have to go back into a dungeon for no other reason than to meet an NPC, a dungeon you walk by like 50 times over the course of the game, and there's like a single plot point A to plot point B window to do it. Then you have to meet this NPC again in a town with no prompting inside another very small window of time. If you mess up either of these, you can't see about 25% of the game.
This was the last game I finished before selling ps2 many years ago. And I still think this was one of the best stories and characters I've witnessed in my life. I rarely see something that well written this days.
I absolutely loved this game. But ended up completely dropping it at that point where you had to run back and forth over and over across the content doing fetch quests. I was in school and just didn't have the time or patience. I wish I finished it though. I am going to restart it now that I have the 3ds version (which I heard is exactly the same except for the option to make it "3D"). I'm positive I am going to love it. Thanks for the great vid as always!
I remember being a kid and inheriting my brother's ps2. I nearly dropped it because luke was unlikable and well I had never played anything with a similar battle system so I had learning curves (remember, emphasis on kid). I ended up falling hard for the story and system. I've been meaning to do a replay. It's been my favorite game for so long though, I can only really fear the ps2 era mechanics and slowness, but I know the story and later fun battles are worth it. But a remaster would be sooo, so appreciated
The only Tales of game I've ever played was Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology on the PSP because it was the first new title to come out after I promised I'd play one...didn't know at the time that was the crossover title that is NOT super friendly to people who have no idea what's going on. Honestly, haven't touched the series since, but yeah, I've always heard great things about Abyss and after watching this video I feel like I have a much better understanding as to why.
Just in case this isn't mentioned before the end of the video, Motoo Fujiwara is a member of Bump of Chicken, one of the best japanese bands. Definitely check them out, some of their songs have been featured in various anime series, such as Blood Blockade Battlefront, March comes in like a lion and even One Piece.
This is the best Tales game to date and I have played all of them up to this point. It is probably the best rpg on the PS2. The only other Tales to have gotten close to Abyss's greatness has been Berseria. I'm exited for Arise but sadly the game has made concessions that leave a lot to be desired (the lifeless skits that now use in game models instead of the 2d animated art).
100% agree. This is fighting for the spot of my favorite Tales game with Symphonia for a reason, and the latter might just even be in the competition because nostalgia - while I have played Abyss last in 2016 (thanks 3DS port) the last time I played Symphonia was 2008. So my view of Abyss isn't tinted with nostalgia glasses, Symphonia might be. Either way Abyss has the best character development I have seen in a JRPG while also having a protagonist so unconventional, he almost turned me off of the game if it hadn't been for the plethora of people telling me there is a point to all of it. And boy, was there a point. I just hope that every single person who feels like I did while playing the first portion of the game has other people telling them to keep going like it did, lest they would miss out on one of the most impressive JRPG journeys of all times. I honestly think that aside from the game obviously showing its age, the biggest weakness is the character bonds in this game. The group seems less jolly and also less tight than most other Tales casts. That makes sense within the confines of the story, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. But it's something I missed because I was so used to seeing it from all the other Tales games. But like I said, not bad, just unexpected.
Sorry. I played Symphonia recently, and it’s trash. Definitely nostalgia is the only thing carrying it. Luke carries the story for me, though. His entire existence is what makes the story even remotely good, and he makes it great.
I hope that any future remakes gives you a New Game Plus option to have Luke stay brash and call out his otherwise noble party on their BS for blaming him for something that pretty much all of them were at least as, if not significantly more, responsible for.
This was my first game in the series (just finished it for the first time yesterday) and I really loved it. Everything you said here pretty much lines up with my own opinions, especially the pacing issues in the final half of the game. I loved the skits though, they added so much personality and I genuinely really enjoyed reading through them. The one lingering criticism that I have is with the ending, as I didn’t feel as though the game really offered any sort of closure, despite such an emotional build-up from all the characters. I played on 3DS, and felt the game’s art style worked beautifully for that system!
Abyss still remains my favourite Tales of game, though I needed to play the story twice back in the day to really appreciate it. So wish it would get ported to modern consoles, I’d love to trophy hunt and perfect a file of it again. I still have fun memories of beating Unknown Nebilim with my cousin, only took like 4 hours lol, him controlling guy and baiting her and me controlling Tear/Natalia trying to keep life potions by using revive spells while we abuse the fof circles for invincibility frames. Great video!
This is why I love your videos. So much work and effort dissecting the whole game and really showing up the good and bad and highlighting the great. I love this game and honestly agree with mostly everything you said
I'm finishing up Vesperia right now (my first Tales game) and I plan hoping straight into this game right after. I'll probably come back and watch this video once I finish Abyss
If there's one thing I love about the combat in abyss that seems absent in the later games, it's the speed. Abyss has the fastest battle speed of any Tales games I've played.
Amazing review. Bravo! Don’t know if it is the best, but certainly one of the best in the series. Think about watching the anime, never gave it a chance.
Just discovered your channel really enjoyed the video👍🏻! My first & to this day still my favorite Tales of & PS2 game. The story was breath taking, characters were well written, gameplay is fast & fluid with no input delay & OST is awesome. This game absolutely requires the same treatment as Vesperia Definitive Edition. I absolutely agreed with all your points on the modern JRPGs not having an Overworld. I feel a lot of magic was lost with their retirement if Overworld doesn't return to JRPGs then the best days are behind us. Any chance of a video on Overworlds?
@@TarksGauntlet I played the demo I can tell you this I’ve played many anime games from final fantasy series to xenoblade chronicles, Tales of Arise is the best looking game I’ve ever seen.
I'm glad you gave this game such a full treatment. I truly wish Bandai Namco wasn't so bad at rereleasing older titles (that aren't 80s arcade games), Abyss *needs* to be on modern platforms and readily accessable. A few fun notes: - A lot of the bugs mentioned aren't present in the 3DS version - I absolutely agree with you on the subject of world maps, and this sentiment seems to be becoming increasingly common. It seems a handful of modern games, notably Alliance Alive, seem to be bringing them back. - The skits apparently are voiced in Japanese, though no international release of Abyss has the Japanese voice track available. This was a sadly common localization cost-cutting measure for Tales games prior to Vesperia. - The Japanese PS2 version had even more bugs, and was missing a handful of Artes and some Mystic Artes. The 3DS version is based on the international release in all regions, including Japan
I had no clue the Japanese version was missing Artes! Id like to look more into that. Part of me wonders if that has anything to do with some Artes being hidden in obscure sidequests.
The gameplay is definitely dated. "Vesperia" had already rendered it obsolete just 3 years later, and the series has never looked back. But when it comes to narrative, "Abyss" is the absolute peak of the series. Yeah, the third act is bloated, they went a bit overboard with the technobabble and there are a few instances where the characterization takes maybe one or two steps too far. But the plot, the character development, their relationships, the lore, the themes, the emotions... It's just masterful. There are very few games in the entire genre which can compete with it, let alone surpass it. This is definitely a game that needs a remake, one that keeps that story intact, but uses a more modern battle system. And who knows, maybe we'll get it? Namco knows "Abyss" is a fan favorite, and the least accessible one at that. So who knows...
I wanted to play a tales game i never played before in anticipation of tales of arise. I found tales of destiny 2 for $400 at my local used game store... so I’m playing through zestiria.
You may already know this, but I wasn't sure based on your gameplay footage. You can chain base arts into arcane arts, which will give you more damage out of your combo, and make the combat more fun.
I thought I had mentioned it at one point. Like when I was going through my regular attack routine. 3 hits, base art, arcane art, combo end, rinse repeat, but maybe not.
Yes more Tales of the abyss content plz. This game not only deserve update graphics, new amv, modern map and fix bugs, but also need some reshape of the mechanics: Change ridiculous trade item system - once you understand the system it you able to get almost the best weapon at first visit (First act) and the best weapon at the third visit (start of Act 2). Second I didn't like the AD skills, as it bit easier to acquire them, I like the game give me more earned feeling to get them. of course things the video touch, like side-quests.I believe the biggest update the game needed is in term of character and story, especially Asch and Anise but also other things.
Luke in Japanese version and anime is voiced actually like a 7 yo boy which he is, it is so different that i only ever felt pain and empathy when he acted immaturely, never angry like when i played the english game.
Best Tales Game if point on the story. Very drama for characters background, have to face old opponents many times for reasons and done very well in recycling maps, towns, dungeons. But I like Destiny DC slightly more than Abyss in case of Equipments and Dungeons.
Nice review, dude! Been watching your stuff for a few months now. Really enjoying most of your content and the humor is pretty great! Btw, you have Nightwish - The Phantom of the Opera video in your reviews playlist. xD
Oh hell yeah! I don't know why I do haha. I like some nightwish but never really listen to that one. I'll clean that out in a bit. Thanks for letting me know!
@@TarksGauntlet no problem! Looking forward to your future uploads! I'm currently playing Fairy Fencer F Advent Dark Force. Any plans to review it? It's from Compile Heart / Idea Factory, you should feel right at home.) P.S. Wishmaster is a great song by the old Nightwish, I remember listening to it years ago.
Still annoyed that it got ported to the 3DS (which I have no problem with, and have in fact bought it) but not to the Vita, despite it being a PlayStation exclusive for many years.
Hi Tarks. I played this years ago and this brought back a lot of memories. I also wanted to ask if you were planning to cover Tales of xillia 1/ 2 or if you are interested in the no more hero’s series?
I have No More Heroes 2 on wii and have been keeping an eye out for the first while I'm game hunting but have never come across it. I'd like to start the series but waiting until I can start at the beginning. As for Tales of Xillia, I have no immediate plans but if I cover more older tales of games that'd probably be next up on the list (And I'm sure I will cover older tales games again haha)
dragon quest 8 or 11 (for a more recent example) did a good thing with the overworld you only see it when you use a ship or travel trough the sky the rest is zone like
I suppose there could be a number of reasons. Cost is the most likely by far, but I also wouldn't be surprised if due to using different compression techniques than they usually do in the japanese audio it could be that they just weren't going to have enough space on the disc for all of it so they decided to cut skits. Not likely, but just a thought.
@@TarksGauntlet Thanks for your video! I'm an pretty old guy who started with the series while "Tales of Destiny" on PS1 was a thing. Then followed it with Tales of Destiny 2(Wich was Eternia in reality), then shed tears because almost all PS2 Titles stayed in japan. After that i was dissapointed with Symphonia on Gamecube due to its dumb Characters and hated Tales of Legendia due to its bad Gameplay and fighting engine (my opinion). But then came Tales of the Abyss and the love for the series came back and stayed until today. Thank you for little monument you build the game with your video. Looking forwars to more Abyss conent and maybe your Tales of Arise Review? Cheers from germany!
Will most definitely be covering Arise. Though I won't be one of the early people with a pre-launch review or anything. Getting the game at launch. Until then, killing time with a couple other things.
I love this game but one of the main things I remember was the loading times being awful, particularly into battles IIRC. might've been my disc/ps2 though.
*"Claims that Tales of Berseria's dark storytelling is edgy & brooding while saying that in Abyss, that storytelling is used to crush you with its dark & dramatic plot points, while also feeling sympathy for its victims"* Um... That *also* happens in Berseria, though... It's not dark for the sake of it, it actually uses it as intended.
@@BardockSkywalker No worries. I reviewed berseria on here as well. It was years earlier when the game first dropped so it's probably a little more rough, but storywise it's probably one of my favorite Tales of games. Velvets heart-ache and rage really left an impression on me.
@@TarksGauntlet I have to agree on the skit overload point that you made... I don't mind it as much as others do, but DAMN, is there too many of them this time around. Off topic for a moment. If the upcoming Symphonia Switch port does well, do you think we might get more Switch ports for older Tales games?
@@BardockSkywalker I would love more remasters/ports but it's hard to tell what Bandai will be willing to port-forward. It was shocking to me that they were willing to do vesperia, they usually only stick with Symphonia. If we do get another though I'd imagine Xillia 1-2 would be the next.
I did want to play this for a while, but the fact that it’s hard to acquire put me off doing so. I do have a hard time telling between what’s genuinely dark and what’s edgy at times. What about Tales of Berseria is edgy? Is Grandia 2 edgy as well? I wouldn’t have expected Evangelion references in this. I’m already reminded enough of that show as it is.
Symphonia holds a special place in my heart. It's by far the tales game I've completed the most. Back when I wouldn't get new games too often I beat it about 11 times back to back haha. Used to be able to complete it in a day or 2 using the grade points buffs. Berseria just cuts straight to my soul in some parts and has definitely left a lasting impression.
Man……Wow…….ok so I got this game CIB for the PS2 for $30 a few months ago. It’s definitely in my backlog to play. I’ve heard nothing but praise from most people about this game and this video was quite good and thankfully didn’t spoil anything for me about the story. Here is the thing though. I have never played a Tales game yet. I own this one and Xillia and Xillia 2 and I intend to get more. I am really inclined to play this after I’m done with Xenosaga 3. However do I really want to start with the best tales game out there and then go into other ones knowing they aren’t going to be as good? Decisions decisions. Any advice for me?
That is a good question. Where this game is much older than the others you have it probably won't be an issue playing it first. The others don't have AS good of a story/cast but it's still pretty good and the combat is much better than in abyss. Now, if you had something like Tales of Symphonia I'd say to play that first as it is hard to go back to that one after you get used to features like free-run and such. Abyss is also very story-heavy. More of the run-time is dedicated to unfolding the plot than even most JRPGs. There can be hours at a time without combat so that is something to consider as well, but since you're playing the Xeno-series I'm guessing you're already quite used to that haha.
@@redstratus97 yeah, I did that. And then I bought a bunch of games, tried to play them, and realized that pretty much all of the other games have pretty second rate stories compared to Abyss. Don’t watch the Abyss anime, no matter what you do. It’s TRASH. I wasted money on that thing because I love Tales of the Abyss and thought that it would do the game justice.
I've never gone looking for reviews of this game, but I also almost never see anyone putting one up in recommendations. This game has possibly ruined many other games for me by not being as good to me by comparison.
I had this game, but couldn't really get into it, Luke being one of the reasons... I did play enough to the point where he was starting to change (which was pretty predictable was going to happen) but I guess it was too little too late for me, the rest of the and cast didn't really grab me. Also the 3ds version looks kinda terrible
I love map worlds, but I'm playing through this game for the first time, and it has one of the worst map worlds I have ever experienced. The camera is way too slow, the camera is set way too low, and the fov is terrible. Load times coming out of battle are so much slower than in dungeons. It makes for a torturous experience imo.
i got about 2/3rds though this one on the 3ds as that's the only version for the UK and i stopped watched the ending on youtube i just didn't like it as much as all the others. maybe i just didn't like it on 3ds but yeah only tales game i didn't finish. want another unpoplar opionon godfather is overrated.
I can understand anybody not liking that movie trilogy. They're slow, have bloated casts and feel rather dated. I was never the biggest fan myself but only watched them once. Will try again someday.
As someone who values combat and gameplay above ALL else in games, Tales of the Abyss was just average for me. I've enjoyed the gameplay, and the overall experience, of other Tales games more, though I think the series as a whole is completely stunted and held back by prioritizing story and character a bit too much. The series has its head up its own a$$ with its dumb made-up lore and terminology, and they really need to cut this crap down significantly. Games MUST prioritize gameplay. Otherwise they just become movies. And never good movies. My model JRPG is Dark Souls. Drop me in the world. Give me deep JRPG customization. And force me to use that customization to survive in unique, wild ways of my own design. I'll definitely remember how it felt to play your game. I won't remember the story unless your game has a once in a couple decades-level quality writing. The story and characters of most games are totally forgettable, though. Abyss was totally forgettable to me. Can't even remember who the villain is. The conflict was generic, whatever it was. I played it once, and I couldn't summarize the plot for the life of me. Which leaves me just remembering the gameplay. Which was just okay. There was overworld exploration, at least. To be fair, I've found that the story of every Tales game I've played to be forgettable. I remember that Yuri had some edgy ethics in Vesperia, but that's about it. The stories in Tales games are some of the most abstract messes I've encountered in JRPGs. Still can't hold a candle to Xenogears in that department, though. Xenogears is the most incomprehensible JRPG I've ever played.
I would argue a lot of tales games don't prioritize characters and story enough. That was the biggest issue with arise for me. Too much focus on combat, not enough on story, characters and adventure, which is what a lot of JRPG fans seek from the genre. As far as Dark souls goes, it's one of my favorite games ever but most people won't refer to it as a JRPG. At its core it's a western RPG/adventure game. Only some quirky difficulty and world lore really resembles traditional Japanese stuff. That said, if dark souls, customization and exploration are your baseline for enjoyment you may due well to steer away from JRPGs and look more into wrpgs or at least western inspired RPGs.
Special thanks to todays Sponsor Icedtea-Aesthetics! They make some pretty killer merch and if you like what you see it would be a huge help if at check-out you use the promo codes below!
www.icedtea-aesthetics.com/
PROMO CODES:
TARKS - Save 10% off your order
TARKS20 - Save 20% off orders with 3 or more items!
Otherwise, I hope you guys enjoyed this look back! Tales of the Abyss is an incredible tales game from a story perspective and deserves a place in the JRPG hall of fame, though It really cannot be done justice in a standard review-structure video like this. Also, I quote the runtime in the vid as 55-70 hours but it can probably be completely in 44-ish if you just B-line your way through. My play for this video was 70 hours, but the last completed play on my memory card was 55 so I kind of just took them as 2 averages. More Abyss content will be coming, but it might be a bit to get it together. Hope to see you all again then!
“N.D. 2021… There shall be born within the people a growing desire for a remastered Tales of the Abyss. Yet Bamco will not heed the people’s call.”
Let’s see this Score overturned, shall we?
"ND 2025: Upon the 25th anniversary there shall be born again, a game of a noble boy with hair of red."
Let's hope anyway.
To this day, it's still one of the best games in the series and this video does a great job of showing why that is.
No, it’s THE best just for the story.
I can't agree more 😊
Gah this going to make me play it a 4th time.
My favorite Tales of game to this day.
Based.
Tales of the Abyss isn’t just my favourite Tales game, but one of my favourite JRPGS of all time. The story still has a place in my heart all these years later. I’m almost Jade’s age and I understand his “old man” humour more and more each year.
This and so many tales games are seriously underrated as heck. More people need to know about the games.
Fingers crossed that we see a proper remaster/remake of this game within the next 10 years. I played this game so many times but never saw much conversation about it in the past. Maybe now that the internet is so widespread, I'm seeing quite a lot of praise for it. Great review.
Knowing Bandai they might wait until 2025 to do a "20 year anniversary" sort of release, but I really hope we can get one within the year or two after Arise releases.
I don't even want a remaster/remake, I just want a port to modern consoles.
I actually wanted a sequel... the ending seems like it deserves it...
@@erickreyes7902 Actually for me the ending is complete. I dont want another Tales of Symphonia 2 Tragedy!
@@rjproduction486 Symphonia 2 was bad, its like a SPIN OFF not a direct sequel but they did a better job on XILLIA 2...
I, who stand in the full light of the heavens, command thee, who opens the gates of hell. Come forth, divine lightning! This ends now!
INDIGNATION !!!
Oh crap. That's pretty powerful!
Better hit back with my most powerful attack.
.....pow hammer...
@@TarksGauntlet 😂😂😂😂😂 That’s… a perfect example of how this game works, gameplay wise.
Luke has the best character development out of all the protagonist in the Tales of series and Asch was an amazing Anti hero
Those two pretty much carry the entire game for me.
Yup. Luke is an amazing protagonists.
@@michaellane4054 INDIGNATION!!!!!!!
I thought It was Shulk, until i play Tales of the Abyss
(But i like more Shulk)
I just started playing this game for the first time. I can definitely see the similarities with Symphonia. I miss the days of puzzles in dungeons and world maps like you were saying. Great review. 😌
It came as a shock to me a couple years ago that apparently a lot of people don't like puzzles in JRPG dungeons and I don't get why. It's the one thing that usually makes the dungeons really unique. Otherwise they're all the same. Walk down corridor, pull lever to open path, backtrack to new path, walk down new corridor. I miss when JRPG dungeons were more puzzle focused.
@@TarksGauntlet And the dungeons in the most recent releases literally had no music while traversing most of the dungeons which exacerbated how much of a snooze fest they were. I really hope Tales of Arise does better.
You know I've only ever played 3 tales games Vesperia, Xillia, and Zestiria I should change that. Btw gotta say I love how animated you are in that ad and your humor is always right up my alley love it.
I have fun making ads tbh! The content is way different than what I normally get to do so it gives me a good opportunity to insert some more aloofness and jokes into the script while also shilling cool merch and good deals for my viewers.
As far as tales goes, I played just about every mainline entry released in north america (And the phantasia SNES fan TL) though Zesteria is one of only 2 tales games I EVER dropped haha. And I think I was nearly done it too. I just wasn't clicking with it.
@@TarksGauntlet Might I ask what the other was?
@@Fonic_Artes Symphonia 2.
I'll give it another shot someday. I just was not ready for it to be so different. Did not approach it with the right mindset.
@@TarksGauntlet I made it through that and Zestiria, but I don't believe I'd ever be ready to replay them.
@@TarksGauntlet I remember liking Symphonia 2 for the character arcs of its leads, as well as the worldbuilding following up on the effects the first game’s events would have on the (mostly uninvolved/unaware) public.
But I also haven’t played it in years, so I wonder how well it holds up now.
Tales of the Abyss was the reason I got a 3DS back in the day since we only got that version here in Europe. It was the second Tales of game I played(Vesperia being the first) and this game's story is something really special. I thought it was brilliantly done. My fav Tales game now is still Xillia 1 as I enjoy the combat in that one a lot more than the combat in Abyss but everyone who loves a RPG with a compelling story owe it to themselves to play this game at least once!
I'm glad to hear others talk about this game. I only played it recently, around two years ago and loved it. Was surprised how much I liked each character, and not to mention I think Luke & Tear's relationship was done very well in my opinion. I've been trying to get into the more recent Tales of games but I have to admit the loss of the world map is hitting me harder than I thought. Hoping I can give them another shot soon.
MY DUDE KNOWS WHAT'S UP
Me? I'm just a soldier sir. Doing my part to make sure Bandai realizes it needs a modern port haha.
@@TarksGauntlet doing God's work
Abyss might be the best story/character balanced of all the games. I always have a hard time choosing which Tales game i think is the best from the series. I can't even put it in words lol, most of the games do one thing better than the other and vise versa, yet the big picture is still the same formula. One thing i can say tho, I can't think of a game where the character development of the protagonist is so well done as in Tales of Abyss. Luke is a fantastic main character.
Beginning: Luke can go fucking kill himself, but I’m still playing because he makes the story fucking hilarious.
End: Luke is the most god tier character in storytelling period.
This game has been on my backlog for years. I'm more interested now in playing it than ever before.
Thanks for the swift kick in the pants.
Tales of the Abyss will always hold a special place in my heart and you nailed all of its shortcomings and strongest merits
You did the internet a service with this review
❤️❤️❤️
This was one of the first 3DS games I ever played. At the time, I remember finding it a bit of a slog, it was long and I was happy when I finished it - but 1) I wasn't much of a JRPG fan back then, and 2) there was some magic that kept me playing despite those feelings.
This was a great video, and the summary brought back so many memories that I'd forgotten. I've actually just picked up Tales of Vesperia on Switch, so you've got me excited to explore this series a little more!
Thanks!
I haven't played all the tales games but so far Abyss is my favorite. A lot of people don't seem to like Luke, but his character made sense to me. I was upset when everything comes clear and his party decides to throw him in the trash
Fact especially that little flip flopping child girl she was annoying lol
Yeah, Luke really sold this game for me. But let’s be honest, he was that bad at the beginning. Not as a character, but if he was like that in real life, I would have said the exact same thing as that annoying ass child.
I love this game but I have a funny story with it. I got it on day one as a tales fan but hated Luke and that actually made me drop the game and took a while for me to come back and give it another shot. And that second-time boy was I wrong about Luke. Definitely one of the best character stories in gaming. I too miss the RPG overworlds. The only thing that I hated is that I missed the last landing dock for the airship due to how the game doesn't tell you anything.
Will try this. Have this on 3DS
The biggest complaint I have to agree with is, if you want to fully experience this game, you basically need a guide. A good amount of the optional end game stuff is locked behind a side quest where you have to go back into a dungeon for no other reason than to meet an NPC, a dungeon you walk by like 50 times over the course of the game, and there's like a single plot point A to plot point B window to do it. Then you have to meet this NPC again in a town with no prompting inside another very small window of time. If you mess up either of these, you can't see about 25% of the game.
Best Tales story in my opinion, with a great cast. The anime is cool also. If anybody's on the fence about playing this, I'd say go for it !
FACT GOT IT FOR MY PS2 LAST YEAR
This is the GOAT of Tales games.
This was the last game I finished before selling ps2 many years ago. And I still think this was one of the best stories and characters I've witnessed in my life. I rarely see something that well written this days.
Playing Co-op with my brother and Fighting the Cameo Battle in Tales of the Abyss is still, My MOST EPIC MOMENTS in any RPG I play!!!
I absolutely loved this game. But ended up completely dropping it at that point where you had to run back and forth over and over across the content doing fetch quests. I was in school and just didn't have the time or patience. I wish I finished it though. I am going to restart it now that I have the 3ds version (which I heard is exactly the same except for the option to make it "3D"). I'm positive I am going to love it. Thanks for the great vid as always!
I remember being a kid and inheriting my brother's ps2. I nearly dropped it because luke was unlikable and well I had never played anything with a similar battle system so I had learning curves (remember, emphasis on kid). I ended up falling hard for the story and system. I've been meaning to do a replay. It's been my favorite game for so long though, I can only really fear the ps2 era mechanics and slowness, but I know the story and later fun battles are worth it. But a remaster would be sooo, so appreciated
My first Tales game and my favorite! I should probably buy it on 3DS before it shoots up in price
Don't say that too loud or it might happen sooner!
The only Tales of game I've ever played was Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology on the PSP because it was the first new title to come out after I promised I'd play one...didn't know at the time that was the crossover title that is NOT super friendly to people who have no idea what's going on. Honestly, haven't touched the series since, but yeah, I've always heard great things about Abyss and after watching this video I feel like I have a much better understanding as to why.
😰I feel sorry for you. The gameplay in that game is also trash.
Loved this game, it's been the only "Tales of" game I was able to get into because of the story.
Same! I played other ones, but this story is what sold it for me, not the gameplay.
Just in case this isn't mentioned before the end of the video,
Motoo Fujiwara is a member of Bump of Chicken, one of the best japanese bands.
Definitely check them out, some of their songs have been featured in various anime series, such as Blood Blockade Battlefront, March comes in like a lion and even One Piece.
Damn I wish they'd re-release this on modern consoles.
Still keep my PS2 for this Game, Shadow Hearts 2 and Valkyrie Profile Silmeria. Ahhhh Good old JRPG Times.
Shadow hearts 1 & 2 😎 still got my ps2
gotta keep the ps2 because u cant trust this businesses to re release
This was my first and favorite Tales of game. Think its the only one I have replayed so many times.
Current top 4 Tales games for me:
1. Symphonia
2. Abyss
3. Berseria
4. Vesperia
This is the best Tales game to date and I have played all of them up to this point. It is probably the best rpg on the PS2.
The only other Tales to have gotten close to Abyss's greatness has been Berseria. I'm exited for Arise but sadly the game has made concessions that leave a lot to be desired (the lifeless skits that now use in game models instead of the 2d animated art).
Easily top 3 tales of games holy God this game rules
100% agree. This is fighting for the spot of my favorite Tales game with Symphonia for a reason, and the latter might just even be in the competition because nostalgia - while I have played Abyss last in 2016 (thanks 3DS port) the last time I played Symphonia was 2008.
So my view of Abyss isn't tinted with nostalgia glasses, Symphonia might be. Either way Abyss has the best character development I have seen in a JRPG while also having a protagonist so unconventional, he almost turned me off of the game if it hadn't been for the plethora of people telling me there is a point to all of it. And boy, was there a point. I just hope that every single person who feels like I did while playing the first portion of the game has other people telling them to keep going like it did, lest they would miss out on one of the most impressive JRPG journeys of all times.
I honestly think that aside from the game obviously showing its age, the biggest weakness is the character bonds in this game. The group seems less jolly and also less tight than most other Tales casts. That makes sense within the confines of the story, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. But it's something I missed because I was so used to seeing it from all the other Tales games. But like I said, not bad, just unexpected.
Sorry. I played Symphonia recently, and it’s trash. Definitely nostalgia is the only thing carrying it. Luke carries the story for me, though. His entire existence is what makes the story even remotely good, and he makes it great.
I hope that any future remakes gives you a New Game Plus option to have Luke stay brash and call out his otherwise noble party on their BS for blaming him for something that pretty much all of them were at least as, if not significantly more, responsible for.
This was my first game in the series (just finished it for the first time yesterday) and I really loved it. Everything you said here pretty much lines up with my own opinions, especially the pacing issues in the final half of the game. I loved the skits though, they added so much personality and I genuinely really enjoyed reading through them. The one lingering criticism that I have is with the ending, as I didn’t feel as though the game really offered any sort of closure, despite such an emotional build-up from all the characters. I played on 3DS, and felt the game’s art style worked beautifully for that system!
Abyss still remains my favourite Tales of game, though I needed to play the story twice back in the day to really appreciate it. So wish it would get ported to modern consoles, I’d love to trophy hunt and perfect a file of it again. I still have fun memories of beating Unknown Nebilim with my cousin, only took like 4 hours lol, him controlling guy and baiting her and me controlling Tear/Natalia trying to keep life potions by using revive spells while we abuse the fof circles for invincibility frames. Great video!
This is why I love your videos. So much work and effort dissecting the whole game and really showing up the good and bad and highlighting the great. I love this game and honestly agree with mostly everything you said
1. Berseria
2. The Abyss
3. Symphonia
4. Xillia
5. Phantasia (PS1 version)
I have enjoyed playing Vesperia on the Switch and now Symphonia is going to be on the Switch as well
one of 2 Tales games that I actually enjoyed and finished
Adding to the lack of accessibility the 3DS port is one of the very few physical only games on the system.
Why is that?
My favorite tales game
Yes.👍
It's time to finish the promise, by going to Daath!
I'm finishing up Vesperia right now (my first Tales game) and I plan hoping straight into this game right after. I'll probably come back and watch this video once I finish Abyss
If there's one thing I love about the combat in abyss that seems absent in the later games, it's the speed. Abyss has the fastest battle speed of any Tales games I've played.
Ahh, I love this game dearly. My favorite story in the entire series.
This was a excellent review
Amazing review. Bravo!
Don’t know if it is the best, but certainly one of the best in the series.
Think about watching the anime, never gave it a chance.
Please don’t, it’s terrible. Not worth it. I bought that horse shit of an adaptation.
Just discovered your channel really enjoyed the video👍🏻! My first & to this day still my favorite Tales of & PS2 game. The story was breath taking, characters were well written, gameplay is fast & fluid with no input delay & OST is awesome. This game absolutely requires the same treatment as Vesperia Definitive Edition.
I absolutely agreed with all your points on the modern JRPGs not having an Overworld. I feel a lot of magic was lost with their retirement if Overworld doesn't return to JRPGs then the best days are behind us. Any chance of a video on Overworlds?
I can’t wait to get Tales of Arise it’s going to be my first Tales of game
I have really high hopes for that game. Have been avoiding the demo just to go in completely fresh. Here's hoping it's as solid as it's looking!
@@TarksGauntlet I played the demo I can tell you this I’ve played many anime games from final fantasy series to xenoblade chronicles, Tales of Arise is the best looking game I’ve ever seen.
@@TarksGauntlet it’s like if god of war 4 and Zelda breath of the wild had a baby it’s beautiful
I'm glad you gave this game such a full treatment. I truly wish Bandai Namco wasn't so bad at rereleasing older titles (that aren't 80s arcade games), Abyss *needs* to be on modern platforms and readily accessable.
A few fun notes:
- A lot of the bugs mentioned aren't present in the 3DS version
- I absolutely agree with you on the subject of world maps, and this sentiment seems to be becoming increasingly common. It seems a handful of modern games, notably Alliance Alive, seem to be bringing them back.
- The skits apparently are voiced in Japanese, though no international release of Abyss has the Japanese voice track available. This was a sadly common localization cost-cutting measure for Tales games prior to Vesperia.
- The Japanese PS2 version had even more bugs, and was missing a handful of Artes and some Mystic Artes. The 3DS version is based on the international release in all regions, including Japan
I had no clue the Japanese version was missing Artes! Id like to look more into that. Part of me wonders if that has anything to do with some Artes being hidden in obscure sidequests.
The gameplay is definitely dated. "Vesperia" had already rendered it obsolete just 3 years later, and the series has never looked back.
But when it comes to narrative, "Abyss" is the absolute peak of the series. Yeah, the third act is bloated, they went a bit overboard with the technobabble and there are a few instances where the characterization takes maybe one or two steps too far. But the plot, the character development, their relationships, the lore, the themes, the emotions... It's just masterful. There are very few games in the entire genre which can compete with it, let alone surpass it.
This is definitely a game that needs a remake, one that keeps that story intact, but uses a more modern battle system. And who knows, maybe we'll get it? Namco knows "Abyss" is a fan favorite, and the least accessible one at that. So who knows...
No kidding I played this once a month till I got the bluray/dvd collection.
I wanted to play a tales game i never played before in anticipation of tales of arise. I found tales of destiny 2 for $400 at my local used game store... so I’m playing through zestiria.
Best Tales ever made.
I've been meaning to pick this up on the 3ds for a while. Now it's at the top of the list
You may already know this, but I wasn't sure based on your gameplay footage. You can chain base arts into arcane arts, which will give you more damage out of your combo, and make the combat more fun.
I thought I had mentioned it at one point. Like when I was going through my regular attack routine.
3 hits, base art, arcane art, combo end, rinse repeat, but maybe not.
This was one of the 1st games I've ever bought for my 3DS, since at the time I didn't know what a JRPG was.
Yes more Tales of the abyss content plz. This game not only deserve update graphics, new amv, modern map and fix bugs, but also need some reshape of the mechanics: Change ridiculous trade item system - once you understand the system it you able to get almost the best weapon at first visit (First act) and the best weapon at the third visit (start of Act 2). Second I didn't like the AD skills, as it bit easier to acquire them, I like the game give me more earned feeling to get them. of course things the video touch, like side-quests.I believe the biggest update the game needed is in term of character and story, especially Asch and Anise but also other things.
One of my favourite games of all time.
Luke in Japanese version and anime is voiced actually like a 7 yo boy which he is, it is so different that i only ever felt pain and empathy when he acted immaturely, never angry like when i played the english game.
Best Tales Game if point on the story. Very drama for characters background, have to face old opponents many times for reasons
and done very well in recycling maps, towns, dungeons.
But I like Destiny DC slightly more than Abyss in case of Equipments and Dungeons.
Nice review, dude! Been watching your stuff for a few months now. Really enjoying most of your content and the humor is pretty great!
Btw, you have Nightwish - The Phantom of the Opera video in your reviews playlist. xD
Oh hell yeah! I don't know why I do haha. I like some nightwish but never really listen to that one. I'll clean that out in a bit. Thanks for letting me know!
@@TarksGauntlet no problem! Looking forward to your future uploads! I'm currently playing Fairy Fencer F Advent Dark Force. Any plans to review it? It's from Compile Heart / Idea Factory, you should feel right at home.)
P.S. Wishmaster is a great song by the old Nightwish, I remember listening to it years ago.
Yes
Great review!! TotA is definitely worth it, I really enjoyed it back then 👍🏽.
I miss overworlds too.
Still annoyed that it got ported to the 3DS (which I have no problem with, and have in fact bought it) but not to the Vita, despite it being a PlayStation exclusive for many years.
Yeah, that’s weird. Could have been in HD if they did that.
@@michaellane4054 Ditto for Dragon Quest 7 Remake and 8 Remaster.
I don't know If I would call Abyss better than Symphonia.....
I'm so happy they rerelased this game on 3DS so is Europeans finally got the chance to play it
Hi Tarks. I played this years ago and this brought back a lot of memories.
I also wanted to ask if you were planning to cover Tales of xillia 1/ 2 or if you are interested in the no more hero’s series?
I have No More Heroes 2 on wii and have been keeping an eye out for the first while I'm game hunting but have never come across it. I'd like to start the series but waiting until I can start at the beginning.
As for Tales of Xillia, I have no immediate plans but if I cover more older tales of games that'd probably be next up on the list (And I'm sure I will cover older tales games again haha)
@@TarksGauntlet oh awesome. Anyway, take your time. Always excited to see what game you’ll cover/ introduce next. You got me into the tales series 😁.
Per Gill, I'm also obligated to say "Go to Daath."
dragon quest 8 or 11 (for a more recent example) did a good thing with the overworld you only see it when you use a ship or travel trough the sky the rest is zone like
Damn remember it looking much better
Emulators can help with that. The original PS2 game on PS2 hardware otherwise should not be blown up to 1080p lol
Fun Fact! The Skits ARE voiced in the japanese version but not in the Western version. Why? Cost maybe?
I suppose there could be a number of reasons. Cost is the most likely by far, but I also wouldn't be surprised if due to using different compression techniques than they usually do in the japanese audio it could be that they just weren't going to have enough space on the disc for all of it so they decided to cut skits. Not likely, but just a thought.
@@TarksGauntlet Thanks for your video! I'm an pretty old guy who started with the series while "Tales of Destiny" on PS1 was a thing. Then followed it with Tales of Destiny 2(Wich was Eternia in reality), then shed tears because almost all PS2 Titles stayed in japan. After that i was dissapointed with Symphonia on Gamecube due to its dumb Characters and hated Tales of Legendia due to its bad Gameplay and fighting engine (my opinion).
But then came Tales of the Abyss and the love for the series came back and stayed until today.
Thank you for little monument you build the game with your video. Looking forwars to more Abyss conent and maybe your Tales of Arise Review? Cheers from germany!
Will most definitely be covering Arise. Though I won't be one of the early people with a pre-launch review or anything. Getting the game at launch. Until then, killing time with a couple other things.
1) Abyss is fantastic
2) I see that Belldandy piece in the back at 1:26 😍 Love her
Tark with the good taste.
please do legend of legaia!! it was a game that so drenched in atmosphere.. first time i felt a jrpg "mist" is a threatening stuff
Never played the Tales series. I always get it confused with Skies of Arcadia for some bizarre reason
69 views, nice.
N I C E
I love this game but one of the main things I remember was the loading times being awful, particularly into battles IIRC. might've been my disc/ps2 though.
*"Claims that Tales of Berseria's dark storytelling is edgy & brooding while saying that in Abyss, that storytelling is used to crush you with its dark & dramatic plot points, while also feeling sympathy for its victims"*
Um... That *also* happens in Berseria, though... It's not dark for the sake of it, it actually uses it as intended.
I don't know what ill-intent you thought I had towards berseria but you're taking these statements the wrong way.
@@TarksGauntlet I see... My apologies for the misunderstanding...
@@BardockSkywalker No worries. I reviewed berseria on here as well. It was years earlier when the game first dropped so it's probably a little more rough, but storywise it's probably one of my favorite Tales of games. Velvets heart-ache and rage really left an impression on me.
@@TarksGauntlet I have to agree on the skit overload point that you made... I don't mind it as much as others do, but DAMN, is there too many of them this time around.
Off topic for a moment. If the upcoming Symphonia Switch port does well, do you think we might get more Switch ports for older Tales games?
@@BardockSkywalker I would love more remasters/ports but it's hard to tell what Bandai will be willing to port-forward.
It was shocking to me that they were willing to do vesperia, they usually only stick with Symphonia. If we do get another though I'd imagine Xillia 1-2 would be the next.
I did want to play this for a while, but the fact that it’s hard to acquire put me off doing so. I do have a hard time telling between what’s genuinely dark and what’s edgy at times. What about Tales of Berseria is edgy? Is Grandia 2 edgy as well? I wouldn’t have expected Evangelion references in this. I’m already reminded enough of that show as it is.
Surpassed in OST? Excuse me? nothing will ever beat Bump of Chicken's Karuma
Hey, the OP is pretty baller, but I'm thinking of the OST as a whole. It's a good OST but it's not the series best haha.
OST ? no no no
Karma is still the franchise one of best opening song
For sure, but that's one song. Legendia still has the best OST IMO.
Tales of the Abyss was an amazing game. But, Berseria and Symphonia are still my 2 favorites. Jade is the best character in the entire series though
Symphonia holds a special place in my heart. It's by far the tales game I've completed the most. Back when I wouldn't get new games too often I beat it about 11 times back to back haha. Used to be able to complete it in a day or 2 using the grade points buffs. Berseria just cuts straight to my soul in some parts and has definitely left a lasting impression.
Man……Wow…….ok so I got this game CIB for the PS2 for $30 a few months ago. It’s definitely in my backlog to play. I’ve heard nothing but praise from most people about this game and this video was quite good and thankfully didn’t spoil anything for me about the story. Here is the thing though. I have never played a Tales game yet. I own this one and Xillia and Xillia 2 and I intend to get more. I am really inclined to play this after I’m done with Xenosaga 3. However do I really want to start with the best tales game out there and then go into other ones knowing they aren’t going to be as good? Decisions decisions. Any advice for me?
That is a good question.
Where this game is much older than the others you have it probably won't be an issue playing it first. The others don't have AS good of a story/cast but it's still pretty good and the combat is much better than in abyss.
Now, if you had something like Tales of Symphonia I'd say to play that first as it is hard to go back to that one after you get used to features like free-run and such.
Abyss is also very story-heavy. More of the run-time is dedicated to unfolding the plot than even most JRPGs. There can be hours at a time without combat so that is something to consider as well, but since you're playing the Xeno-series I'm guessing you're already quite used to that haha.
@@TarksGauntlet yeah I’m hooked on this Xenosaga trilogy. So yeah I guess story heavy games are indeed what I like.
No. DO NOT PLAY ABYSS FIRST. It will ruin the series for you, because the stories for all of the other games just do not compare at all.
@@michaellane4054 thanks. I was actually leaning in that direction anyway.
@@redstratus97 yeah, I did that. And then I bought a bunch of games, tried to play them, and realized that pretty much all of the other games have pretty second rate stories compared to Abyss. Don’t watch the Abyss anime, no matter what you do. It’s TRASH. I wasted money on that thing because I love Tales of the Abyss and thought that it would do the game justice.
Monado
I've never gone looking for reviews of this game, but I also almost never see anyone putting one up in recommendations. This game has possibly ruined many other games for me by not being as good to me by comparison.
I had this game, but couldn't really get into it, Luke being one of the reasons... I did play enough to the point where he was starting to change (which was pretty predictable was going to happen) but I guess it was too little too late for me, the rest of the
and cast didn't really grab me. Also the 3ds version looks kinda terrible
Yeah, I finished it and love Luke as a character, but I can see why people would drop it. I would killed Luke myself at the beginning.
I play berseria now
I love map worlds, but I'm playing through this game for the first time, and it has one of the worst map worlds I have ever experienced. The camera is way too slow, the camera is set way too low, and the fov is terrible. Load times coming out of battle are so much slower than in dungeons. It makes for a torturous experience imo.
i got about 2/3rds though this one on the 3ds as that's the only version for the UK and i stopped watched the ending on youtube i just didn't like it as much as all the others. maybe i just didn't like it on 3ds but yeah only tales game i didn't finish.
want another unpoplar opionon godfather is overrated.
Godfather, as in.. the movie trilogy based on Mario Puzo's novel?
@@TarksGauntlet yes
I can understand anybody not liking that movie trilogy.
They're slow, have bloated casts and feel rather dated. I was never the biggest fan myself but only watched them once. Will try again someday.
I could not stand Luke, at any point throughout the entire story.
As someone who values combat and gameplay above ALL else in games, Tales of the Abyss was just average for me. I've enjoyed the gameplay, and the overall experience, of other Tales games more, though I think the series as a whole is completely stunted and held back by prioritizing story and character a bit too much. The series has its head up its own a$$ with its dumb made-up lore and terminology, and they really need to cut this crap down significantly. Games MUST prioritize gameplay. Otherwise they just become movies. And never good movies.
My model JRPG is Dark Souls. Drop me in the world. Give me deep JRPG customization. And force me to use that customization to survive in unique, wild ways of my own design.
I'll definitely remember how it felt to play your game. I won't remember the story unless your game has a once in a couple decades-level quality writing. The story and characters of most games are totally forgettable, though. Abyss was totally forgettable to me. Can't even remember who the villain is. The conflict was generic, whatever it was. I played it once, and I couldn't summarize the plot for the life of me. Which leaves me just remembering the gameplay. Which was just okay. There was overworld exploration, at least. To be fair, I've found that the story of every Tales game I've played to be forgettable. I remember that Yuri had some edgy ethics in Vesperia, but that's about it. The stories in Tales games are some of the most abstract messes I've encountered in JRPGs. Still can't hold a candle to Xenogears in that department, though. Xenogears is the most incomprehensible JRPG I've ever played.
I would argue a lot of tales games don't prioritize characters and story enough. That was the biggest issue with arise for me. Too much focus on combat, not enough on story, characters and adventure, which is what a lot of JRPG fans seek from the genre.
As far as Dark souls goes, it's one of my favorite games ever but most people won't refer to it as a JRPG.
At its core it's a western RPG/adventure game.
Only some quirky difficulty and world lore really resembles traditional Japanese stuff.
That said, if dark souls, customization and exploration are your baseline for enjoyment you may due well to steer away from JRPGs and look more into wrpgs or at least western inspired RPGs.