This interview has been edited for clarity.
Mention two simple words.Tales”, to any fan of Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) who will likely instantly recognize the series in question, and for good reason. Tales Franchise, published by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formally known as Namco), traces its roots back to 1995 with its original title, Fantasy talesfor the Super Famicom and has since grown into a huge franchise in Japan (although it is still somewhat niche in English-speaking territories), with 17 mainline entries along with numerous spin-off titles, making it one of the longest-running games JRPG franchises in history.
With an expansive series like this, it's no surprise that many of the previous games in the series have received updates over the years, to bring them up to more modern standards, and proudly joining this collection is Tales of Grace and Remastereddeveloped by thesewhich is provided Renewal of the twelfth main part of the series. This particular title was initially released exclusively for the Japanese market in 2009 for the Wii as Tales of graceIt was later ported to PlayStation 3 in 2010 for Japan with an add-on and to the title, before seeing a global English-language release in 2012.
If you're wondering how popular the game is, the Wii version sold 100,000 copies, and another 200,000 copies of the PS3 version were purchased within its first week of release. Since then, the game has been adapted into a manga series, a series of novels, and even a drama audio series.
Through a game preview and interview session, Geek Culture had the opportunity to not only check out the upcoming remaster, but also to chat with the game's producer. Yuki Ishikawaalong with the overall product of Tales series, Yusuke TomizawaTo reveal how the team made the journey to adapt the beloved title for a modern audience.
But before anyone can understand and appreciate how the team revitalized the game, players must first understand why, and as it turns out, this remaster has been a long time coming. For general producer Tomizawa, it all started with a special 10th anniversary event in Japan Tales of grace.
“Participants who attended the event mentioned to us that they really, truly I wanted to see a modified version of this game. “That's when we knew we had to make this decision, to give all the original players what they wanted and move forward with development of the remaster,” he recalls.
Of course, this decision was not made easily and simply at the request of the fans. In fact, a lot of thought was also put into deciding which title among the series' long-running history had the most potential to benefit from the remastered treatment, and to no one's surprise, Blessings The hero appeared.
“In reality, it's not always as simple as converting original titles from the 90s and 2000s into remastered versions, as some of them may not have been as satisfactory when it comes to graphics, gameplay and music,” explains Tomizawa.
“Blessings It was the perfect solution when it came to ensuring that the graphics could be preserved from a re-mastering standpoint.
“the Tales The series is known for its character development and interactions, but also for its combat, so when we were thinking about all these different options to choose from, Blessings He adds: “The team itself had the most attractive points when it came to these criteria, which made the team lean towards the title.”
Tomizawa's reasons are certainly justified, as… Tales The series is highly regarded for its narrative themes, which typically revolve around the coexistence of different races and recurring themes of justice and faith, along with its action-based combat systems. Tales of gracespecifically, explores the concepts of friendship, reunion, and redemption, introducing characters like protagonists Asbel and Cheria along with antagonist Richard, all known among fans as some of the best characters in the franchise.
Since this was planned as a remaster, the team could have simply ported the game to an improved resolution and been done with it, but they went several steps further, offering players completely new quality of life additions to ensure they could relive it. Enjoyed by fans and newcomers alike.
“(In the early stages of development), there were multiple discussions within the team to come up with ways to make it easier for players to enjoy the game, as well as live up to the standards of other RPGs,” the game's producer explained. Ishikawa.
The end result? Adding a feature that is always prominent in games today, making it immediately noticeable by its absence – objective waypoints.
While it may seem counterintuitive to include such a basic feature (at least by today's standards), the lack of a marker to inform players of their next objective was seen as a selling point for older JRPGs. “(Initially), the whole point and premise of an RPG is that players can get lost in the game, and some may want to discover things for themselves, rather than the game giving hints,” Ishikawa points out.
“We added this feature to suit different types of players, as they can turn it on or off depending on their playing style.”
Arguably the most notable new addition, and one that the producers themselves highly recommend players check out, is the inclusion of the Degree Shop from the start. Previously, this feature was only available through New Game Plus, after players had completed the main campaign once. This option allows players to purchase end-game rewards, including damage boosts and experience multipliers, using class points earned upon finishing the game.
With the store now available from the first playthrough, Ishikawa explains that the player will already be rewarded with a sufficient amount of class points from the start, allowing them to manipulate the items on offer, and make their characters superior at will.
So what's stopping players from having their first playthrough with all the power-ups they've purchased? Nothing, according to Ishikawa, and that is precisely the intention.
“Ultimately, it's completely up to the players to choose whether they want to use it or not. We provide a disclaimer up front for new players, but in the end they still have the flexibility to choose and make their experience as enjoyable as they like.
It's clear that the team has prioritized customizing the player experience to be more intuitive and fun, a refreshing experience that is sure to be appreciated by both fans and newcomers.
Other smaller features and additional content have been bundled into the remaster as well, such as the ability to completely swap out basic enemy encounters (reinforcing their dedication to accessibility and player choice), along with cosmetic costumes from other games in the series, and the inclusion of English-dubbed skits and short cutscenes. The visual novel style aims to add story lore, some of which were previously exclusive to the Japanese version.
Aside from adding new features, one final point the team had to consider was how to bring the title up to the same standards set by its modern contemporaries, such as 2021. Tales arisethe latest chapter of the franchise. To this end, one of their main priorities was to adapt the title not only to next-gen consoles, but also to PC.
“In any gaming industry or gaming company, it is important to ensure quality and reflect standards from console to PC,” Ishikawa points out.
“We've made sure this title can sustain 120 frames per second (FPS) on PC, and added mouse and keyboard control options. These small but important attributes ensure that generations can enjoy the game regardless of platform.
As a core fan of the series, the fact that so many players around the world have played the original title, and are excited to experience the upcoming remaster, is truly heartwarming for Ishikawa.
“I personally really liked the original Tales of grace“And I played it when I was a high school student,” Ishikawa recalls. “Now, after many years, I am able to contribute and develop Tales of Grace and Remastered And serving fans all over the world who were just like me. “I would like to thank all the fans for their continued support, and I hope they enjoy the game.”
Tales of Grace and Remastered will be released January 16, 2025 For PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series January 17, 2025 On PC.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race player with a penchant for perks as “losers”. Darksiders III and Dead space 3. He made it his lifelong mission to play every major release of gaming – lest his wallet die trying.
this post 'Tales of Graces f Remastered' producers talk about bringing beloved 'Tales' classics into the modern era and the importance of player choice appeared first on Geek culture.
