Tales of Hearts R

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 88 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Tales of Hearts R Game Cover
Forget about graphic fidelity, and find a strong narrative and character development alongside a universal combat system that Tales of Hearts R can only deliver to the PlayStation Vita.

"Tales of Hearts R" is a captivating single-player Role Playing Game that offers around 30 hours of playtime. The story follows Kor, a young villager who, after his grandfather's death, meets Kohaku and accidentally shatters her Spiria Core during a spellcasting mishap. To save Kohaku, Kor embarks on a journey to repair her Spiria and restore her emotions, battling enemies with his Soma weapon. This game promises an immersive adventure with an intriguing narrative.

  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 88 reviews
story19 positive mentions
character development3 negative mentions
  • Great gameplay with a deep and engaging combat system that fans of the series will appreciate.
  • Charming story with memorable characters, providing a nostalgic experience for long-time fans of the Tales franchise.
  • Well-crafted graphics and vibrant environments that enhance the overall experience on the PSVita.
  • Lack of English voice acting and poor localization, leading to mismatched subtitles and dialogue.
  • The story can feel generic and cliché at times, with some characters lacking depth and development.
  • Random battles can disrupt the flow of gameplay, making encounters feel dated and less enjoyable.
  • story69 mentions

    The story of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it generic and lacking depth compared to other titles in the series, while others appreciate its charm and character development. Many note that the narrative is filled with cutscenes, which can slow the pacing, but also highlight engaging plot twists and character interactions. Overall, while the story may not stand out as exceptional, it is considered solid and enjoyable by a segment of players, particularly those who value character-driven narratives.

    • “The story is great, the characters are well developed from the quiet Kohaku to the enigmatic Ignis.”
    • “The story never drags in the beginning; it pulls you in.”
    • “It delivers a deep and meaningful story, wrapped up in a great package.”
    • “The story is pretty standard for JRPGs, and certainly not a standout of the series like Abyss or Berseria.”
    • “The story line is a little weak and doesn't quite draw you in.”
    • “The gameplay was really good at times and the boss battles were challenging, but the game's story is where I felt it fell flat.”
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay is generally praised for its smooth animations and engaging combat mechanics, which blend action elements with traditional JRPG features. While some players find it reminiscent of previous titles in the series, others note a lack of variety in character designs and gameplay elements. Overall, the gameplay stands out as a strong aspect, even if the story and localization leave something to be desired.

    • “The gameplay itself is fantastic and the settings for the AI-controlled characters are great this time around.”
    • “The gameplay animation is smooth and streamlined, and the characters don't look robotic in movement or construction, more so than Tales of Xillia.”
    • “In battle, the gameplay switches to a combat mode based on fighting games more than your average JRPG, where you have to attack your enemies manually while your party follows the guidelines you set.”
    • “Gameplay is basically identical to other Tales games.”
    • “I loved Tales of the Abyss and expected something similar, but this was awful. The gameplay itself was actually somewhat solid, but the unoriginal writing, poorly designed environments, and tacky character designs made the whole thing unpleasant.”
    • “All of these games are pretty good, although it wouldn't kill them to put a bit more variety into character designs and gameplay elements.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    Overall, the graphics of the game receive mixed reviews. While some players appreciate the visuals on the Vita, noting they are good and comparable to other titles, others criticize them as underwhelming and simplistic, reminiscent of older PS2-era games. The transition from the original DS format to the Vita's widescreen is also seen as jarring by some, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “As of now, I love the graphics, the story, the gameplay, the humor, and some of the characters.”
    • “The graphics on the Vita are very good and the game doesn't look substantially worse than Tales of Xilia on the PS3.”
    • “[Best battle system I’ve seen, beautiful lands and towns, good storyline and characters, deep customization and strategy, great graphics and music].”
    • “Graphically, the game is average.”
    • “Despite being a remake of a Japanese-only DS game, its aesthetics and playstyle feel like they hopped right off the PS2 circa 2001.”
    • “The graphics are simplistic and betray their DS game roots; the game often makes the transition from DS screen aspect ratio to Vita's widescreen aspect ratio, which is jarring.”
  • music9 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its epic quality and variety across different areas, while others find it monotonous and generic, typical of JRPGs. Despite criticisms regarding the lack of Japanese voice acting and mismatched translations, many players appreciate the soundtrack's overall contribution to the game's atmosphere, with some even highlighting it as a standout feature. Overall, while the music has its flaws, it is often described as enjoyable and fitting for the game's setting.

    • “The music (9/10) in every part of the world changes, and most of them are epic!”
    • “Some places I just let my character stand while I listen to the music.”
    • “[The battle system is really great, and very quick as well; the soundtrack is great; the character customization is deep and fleshed out; the game moves quick, and doesn't let you linger in its unremarkable dungeons; the cutscenes are exceptionally well done.]”
    • “The music is monotonous and typical of a JRPG, but at least the voice acting is great.”
    • “It features relatively blocky graphics with limited animations, generic synth music, a working design quality translation (minus the memes), three-building sized towns with static NPCs, and a story that wouldn't look out of place side-by-side with Tales of Phantasia.”
    • “[Bland and repetitive areas, mediocre music]”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the entertaining interactions among the squabbling team members, which adds depth to the story and character development. Players appreciate the funny and colorful elements that enhance the overall experience, making it a standout feature alongside the graphics and gameplay.

    • “There is adventure, suspense, and lots of humor between the squabbling team members.”
    • “These are often funny or character building, so they help flesh out the story a lot.”
    • “Funny, colorful, great battle system on the go.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development in these games is often criticized for lacking depth and variety, with some characters remaining unlikable despite attempts at growth. While gameplay may be solid, the writing and character designs detract from the overall experience, leaving players wanting more engaging narratives and diverse character arcs.

    • “Forget about graphic fidelity, and find a strong narrative and character development alongside a universal combat system that 'Tales of Hearts R' can only deliver to the PlayStation Vita.”
    • “Hisue was unlikable at the beginning of the game, and by the end of the game, even after some character development, he was still an unlikable try-hard character.”
    • “I loved Tales of the Abyss and expected something similar, but this was awful. The gameplay itself was actually somewhat solid, but the unoriginal writing, poorly designed environments, and tacky character designs made the whole thing unpleasant.”
    • “Forget about graphic fidelity, and find a strong narrative and character development alongside a universal combat system that Tales of Hearts R can only deliver to the PlayStation Vita.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players express mixed feelings about grinding, with some finding the random battles tedious and overly long, leading to frustration. However, others appreciate that grinding isn't essential, as engaging in battles naturally throughout the game provides sufficient challenge without becoming a chore. Overall, the balance of difficulty and the rewarding final boss contribute to a more enjoyable experience for those who dislike excessive grinding.

    • “They are usually extremely long; random battles get tedious to the point of me wanting to quit the game completely, and sometimes the stories and battle systems can be boring or convoluted or both.”
    • “Grinding is not necessary if you just do the random battles as you go from point A to point B.”
    • “If you want a little bit of a break from the overly tedious and sometimes frustratingly hard battles, definitely pick this up if you haven't already.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Overall, the game offers strong replayability through its memorable story, engaging characters, and a New Game+ mode, which encourages players to revisit the experience. However, the abundance of cut scenes and a steep difficulty spike in the final bosses may deter some players from replaying. Additionally, certain gameplay elements, like cooking and the leveling system, could be improved to enhance the overall experience.

    • “The good: memorable story, great characters, lots of voice acting and dialogue, deep and tense combat, new game+ adds replayability. The bad: mass amounts of cut scenes can slow the pace, last two bosses create an overwhelming difficulty spike, cooking isn’t as useful as it should be, leveling system is a bit complicated, graphics are underwhelming. If you have been following this site for a while, you will know by now that I don’t have much patience for JRPGs.”
    • “The replayability is severely limited due to the linear nature of the game. Once you finish the main story, there isn't much incentive to go back and play again.”
    • “While the game offers a new game+ mode, it doesn't significantly change the experience, making it feel more like a chore than an exciting replay.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

Play time

30hMedian play time
30hAverage play time
30-30hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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