It is rare to find a JRPG fan who hasn't heard of Bandai Namco's Tales series. From Tales of Phantasia in 1995 to today, spanning successful franchises like Final Fantasy, 17 installments of this series have graced our CRT, LCD, Plasma, and OLED screens. Like any long-running series, it has its highs and lows. Still, Tales of Grace is undoubtedly one of the better entries that truly deserves technical refinement and remastering for modern hardware. We will explore whether Tales of Grace's F Remaster is worth it.
If You are in the mood for another remaster, check out our Donkey Kong Country Returns HD review!
Is It A Remaster?
As a game initially released on the Nintendo Wii, Tales of Graces was not graphically impressive in any aspect, which is expected given the anime-inspired style of the Tales series. This art style is perfect for low-spec hardware, so much so that, like DOOM, one could imagine it being playable on a smart fridge screen shortly. After the Wii, Tales of Grace F shone on the PS3 and remained stuck there for an extended period. The difference between Tales of Graces and Tales of Graces F lies in the bonus story that has also been added to this remaster.
Let's delve into the game and the changes that make this a proud example of what a remaster should be. The first thing you'll notice after skipping the intro (considering nearly every Japanese studio has a habit—or fetish—of cramming tons of story spoilers into their intros) is the so-called Grade Shop. Bandai Namco modernized old-school JRPGs, realizing their players are no longer children with free time after homework to farm local monsters all night. Instead, they have added several features to speed up the game's flow.
Tales of Graces F Remaster Grade Shop Features
The Grade Shop offers a range of conveniences that alleviate the need to spend countless hours perfecting your characters, a common requirement in the original version. These options include doubling item drops, earning 5x experience points for faster leveling, enabling both protagonists and enemies to deal 4x more damage, and increasing inventory size to reduce trips back to town to sell items. These features not only speed up the game but also make the journey less arduous, allowing you to focus more on the story and less on the grind.
There are also masochistic options, such as halving your experience, which adds a significant challenge by keeping you under-leveled. Other notable updates include autosave (a rarity for JRPGs of that time), a skip function for dialogue scenes, and the option to disable random enemy encounters if you're more interested in focusing on the story.
What Has Improved in Tales of Graces F Remaster
Modernization also introduced a key feature: a cursor that marks where to continue the story. Unfortunately, the navigation system did not receive enough attention, and despite the world's linearity, you'll occasionally make illogical moves before figuring out where the game wants to take you. In addition to regular quests, there are also time-limited quests, though these are not too overwhelming early on (chaos ensues later after a crucial plot twist).
Each character earns titles during the adventure, granting various bonuses (e.g., increased damage, energy boosts, new moves, evade bonuses). These titles level up alongside your character. Once you've gathered enough experience points, you reach mastery for the title, unlocking additional perks.
The game actively encourages you to switch and level up new titles to enjoy the bonuses and flexibility they offer. With over 30 titles available for each fighter on your team, you'll have your hands full if you aim to complete everything. While this may seem time-consuming, it's part of the charm of old-school RPGs like this one, especially considering it's been nearly 15 years since the original. This emphasis on character flexibility empowers you to strategize and adapt, adding a layer of depth to the gameplay.
The Story
After customizing your gameplay preferences, it's time to jump into the adventure of Tales of Grace. The story follows young Lord Asbel, the eldest son of the Lhant family, who oversees a local village in the Windor region. Asbel, a typical teenager who listens only to himself, often lands in minor trouble. During one such adventure, he meets a mysterious girl—with amnesia, a staple of JRPGs. You then follow Asbel's decisions, family drama (YO SOY TU MADRE), and a narrative that resumes seven years later. The real fun begins, filled with intrigues, drama, and unexpected events that, while somewhat clichéd, are blended into a charming mix typical of Tales JRPGs.
You'll initially encounter a barrage of tutorials after your first battles. Interestingly, you discover something on your own. In that case, the game still presents a tutorial in text form, saying, "Oh, by the way, you can also do this," complete with detailed explanations of the mechanic. Don't be discouraged; for the first 2-3 hours, nearly every battle follows a tutorial or explanation.
While this can confuse newcomers to the Tales series, most mechanics and functions could be explained in a few sentences instead of through walls of text. Some options and mechanics can feel overwhelming, but following tutorials carefully can help you unlock powerful items through combinations.
Technical Shortcomings
One frustrating aspect for many players is the fixed camera, which cannot be rotated. This allows developers to hide chests right under your nose, which are invisible due to poor camera angles. Another issue is the draw distance, which hasn't improved since the Wii era. Despite being available on PS5, PC, and Xbox, it's hard to believe the game is so hardware-intensive that items only appear when they're 10 meters ahead of you. Often, you'll spot a chest on an elevated path, and while backtracking in hopes of reaching it, the chest will only materialize when you're nearby.
The battles are peculiar. While they employ mechanics from other Tales games, characters feel inflexible, and the combat engine seems stuck in the Wii era. While numerous attack options and combinations exist, the controls remain slightly clunky. Instead of stamina, the game uses CC points, which allow for combos and faster enemy takedowns. However, you must be economical, as your "stamina" depletes with every strike and regenerates during pauses between attacks. Dodging and blocking are crucial, especially against tough bosses. However, the difficulty is significantly reduced if you've chosen certain conveniences in the Grade Shop.
Charm and Replayability of Tales of Graces F Remaster
As a Wii exclusive, Tales of Grace aimed to capture a large audience, and it succeeded by tweaking animations after battles. Victory poses a hallmark of JRPGs, which include added variety and charm through short post-battle conversations between characters. These dialogues will either make you laugh or cringe, depending on your tolerance for JRPG tropes. The game's length depends on your chosen options but offers a solid 30+ hours of gameplay, which is expected for a Tales JRPG. Rest assured, you won't be short on adventure.
Tales of Graces F Remaster In Conclusion
Overall, this is a high-quality remaster of a great game, filled with changes that simplify gameplay. By modernizing certain elements, the developers have removed some time-consuming aspects typical of RPGs, making it an ideal experience for today's players.
We greatly recommend the Tales of Graces F remaster as an exceptional JRPG full of charm, clichéd stories, and delightful twists that will keep you playing "just until the next save." This classic JRPG has been modernized in an exemplary way, setting a benchmark for how studios should approach older games and make them accessible today. Fixed bugs, abundant DLC material, and improved graphics make this experience even better and more enjoyable.
Rating: 9.0/10
The remaster blends modern convenience with classic JRPG charm, but technical shortcomings prevent a perfect score.
Recommended Age: 12+
The game's strategic elements, battle mechanics, and occasional complexity suit players aged 12 and up best. Tales of Graces F Remastered has an ESRB rating of T for teens.