Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

About

"Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition" follows a power struggle in a blastia-dependent civilization, where two friends' paths intertwine in an epic adventure. The definitive version includes full HD graphics, new music, minigames, bosses, and costumes. Patty Fleur and Flynn Scifo join as playable characters, offering new perspectives in this enhanced JRPG.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition screenshot

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,077 reviews

story443 positive mentions

grinding87 negative mentions

Engaging story with memorable characters that develop throughout the game.
Beautiful art style and visuals that have aged well, enhancing the overall experience.
Deep and satisfying combat system that allows for complex combos and character customization.

Combat can feel clunky and unresponsive, especially in the early game, leading to frustration.
Many side quests and events are easily missable, requiring a guide for completionists.
Controller support issues and bugs can disrupt gameplay, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.

story
1,305 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
60%
6%
The story of "Tales of Vesperia" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging yet flawed. While some appreciate the character development and emotional depth, others criticize the pacing, convoluted plot points, and reliance on clichés typical of the JRPG genre. The narrative is often described as predictable, with a slow start that picks up in later acts, but it can feel disjointed and overly reliant on side quests that are easy to miss without a guide. Overall, the game is praised for its characters and world-building, but the story's execution leaves room for improvement.
- “The story is in-depth and relatable to facing a large daunting challenge; it makes you think about the real world and the sometimes scary overlaps of how things go both in the game and in reality.”
- “The story, character dynamics, and combat system make every hour feel rewarding and immersive.”
- “The story is amazing, the characters are fun, and the gameplay is pretty enjoyable too.”
- “The pacing is irredeemably bad and the story is all over the place in the worst possible way.”
- “The story is very bland and lacks excitement.”
- “The story is dull, the combat is boring, and it's an okay game at best.”
gameplay
375 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
62%
7%
The gameplay in "Tales of Vesperia" is characterized by a slow introduction of mechanics, leading to a gradual learning curve that can frustrate new players. While the combat system offers depth and complexity, it can feel clunky and repetitive, especially in the early stages, with many mechanics locked behind skills that require grinding. Overall, the game provides a classic JRPG experience with engaging combat and character interactions, but its dated mechanics and linear gameplay loop may not appeal to everyone.
- “Gameplay-wise, Tales of Vesperia offers an engaging experience that doesn't disappoint.”
- “The gameplay is an improvement on the style of Tales of the Abyss.”
- “The gameplay really comes alive quite a few hours into the game, when skills start extending your combos and modifying your artes, allowing you to customize the character you play.”
- “The gameplay loop is weirdly formulaic for most of the game - you go to a location, find out about a local problem, go do the local dungeon, return to the location, go travel to the new location.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's like what you would find in a modern JRPG, with character management, explorations, and of course, a battle system, which, like many other installments in this franchise, plays like a fighting game where your characters can move around freely within a small battle arena.”
- “The gameplay is an endless whirlpool of misery and torment...if you're not aware of how to do a free run cancel.”
graphics
219 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
58%
3%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their cel-shaded art style, which retains a timeless charm and looks stunning even years after its original release. Players appreciate the vibrant colors, smooth performance at 60 fps, and the overall visual design that enhances the immersive experience. While some note that the graphics may not appeal to everyone, the remastered visuals and customizable options ensure a visually pleasing experience for a variety of setups.
- “The cel-shaded art style still holds up remarkably well, and the improved resolution and frame rate make the game feel smoother and more immersive than ever before.”
- “The visuals are a pleasure to look at: lush colors, smooth bloom filter, and simple but effective environments.”
- “The graphics in the game are very pretty, and honestly don't look too bad for a game that came out in 2008; they took the rerelease seriously and released all the graphic options that you could possibly need to make the game look as beautiful as your computer can handle.”
- “The graphics are decent, but 90% of the characters are well developed and overall interesting to see develop.”
- “Graphically, it seems to be the same game from 2008; it isn't bad at all, and I think it holds up fine, but it does reflect the era of when it came out.”
- “While the graphics are showing their age, the second half of the game drags, but the amazing cast of characters with an engaging story and solid gameplay makes up for it.”
music
179 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
41%
4%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack as solid and fitting for the game's atmosphere, particularly highlighting the battle themes and some standout tracks. However, several players find the overall music to be forgettable or lacking in memorability compared to other JRPGs, with some noting a lack of variation and a few tracks that feel out of place. Overall, while the music enhances the experience, it does not consistently leave a lasting impression.
- “The music is overall great, and the combos are incredibly rewarding once you figure them out.”
- “The music is awesome to listen to and the storyline is pretty enjoyable to play through.”
- “Everything from the music to the characters is great.”
- “The music is very forgettable.”
- “Music is kinda lacking compared to other JRPGs.”
- “The music isn't really special apart from the key moments in the game where the composers really did their best, giving emotional scenes more depth and making epic scenes more intense.”
grinding
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
1%
97%
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is a significant aspect, often described as tedious and time-consuming, with many players feeling it detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the depth it adds to character development and skill acquisition, others find it overwhelming and monotonous, particularly in the context of boss battles and side quests. Overall, the game is seen as requiring a considerable investment of time for grinding, which can be frustrating for those not accustomed to traditional JRPG mechanics.
- “It's not grindy, and there are also additional files you can download from Steam that allow you to claim gold, experience, and costumes.”
- “There is no grinding needed on normal difficulty.”
- “However, the meandering and preachy environmental apocalypse story is boring, and combat becomes tedious by the end as a result of frequent and lengthy enemy encounters.”
- “Unfortunately, this game was a rather tedious experience for me.”
- “I'm used to the whole 'grind' of JRPGs, but the amount of grinding necessary in this game is ridiculous.”
humor
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
5%
The humor in the game is characterized by its engaging character interactions and witty dialogue, often reminiscent of slice-of-life anime. Players appreciate the comedic skits and banter among characters, which provide a lighthearted contrast to the more serious story elements. While some find the humor relatable and charming, others feel certain comedic aspects, like forced gags, detract from the overall experience.
- “The characters are hilariously excellent and the gameplay is fantastic.”
- “The dialogue and skits are at times actually quite funny, like it was in Tales of Symphonia.”
- “The game has lots to offer, especially humor (typical of Tales games) and tons of engaging story.”
- “The humor in the game falls flat, making the experience feel more tedious than entertaining.”
- “I expected a lot of laughs, but the jokes are stale and often miss the mark.”
- “The attempts at humor feel forced and detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
optimization
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
33%
42%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance at 60 fps and good graphics, significant stuttering issues persist, particularly in the PC port. Some users have found workarounds, such as mods, to alleviate these problems, but others still experience frame drops and audio inconsistencies due to the re-recorded voice lines. Overall, while the game can run well on various systems, the stuttering and performance inconsistencies detract from the experience for many players.
- “The game runs smoothly at 60 fps and doesn’t cause any system issues; on the contrary, it has graphics and character details that haven’t aged badly for a game from years ago.”
- “As for the PC port itself, it is well-optimized and runs smoothly on a variety of systems.”
- “The definitive version is a massively well-done port, supporting a variety of graphics options, and well optimized.”
- “The game is unplayable for me; it starts stuttering really badly at the first boss about one hour into the game.”
- “This game was definitely not optimized for PC very well.”
- “I cannot recommend this release until the unacceptable stuttering is fixed.”
character development
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
34%
6%
Character development in "Tales of Vesperia" is widely praised, with players noting that all characters, especially the protagonist Yuri, undergo significant growth throughout the story. The game effectively utilizes side quests and skits to enhance character arcs, making them relatable and engaging. While some critiques mention that certain character developments can be missed, the overall consensus is that the depth and evolution of characters contribute greatly to the game's appeal and narrative richness.
- “The absolute highlight is the amount of character development each of the playable characters receives.”
- “The story is addictive, the characters are amazing, the character development (especially if you do side quests) is inspiring.”
- “While an older entry, Tales of Vesperia has arguably one of the best character developments for the protagonist in the series.”
- “Another bad part of this is that some of the character development occurs in these missable side quests, which makes it easy to miss important backstory or character developments between party members.”
- “All in all, Tales of Vesperia is a decent JRPG with great battle mechanics, decently likable characters with character development, charming world and town, and a passable story.”
- “The talking heads, however, was the dev's choice for character development (complete with voice overs).”
replayability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
54%
13%
The game boasts high replayability, featuring a well-designed New Game+ mode, compelling characters, and a variety of combat styles that encourage multiple playthroughs. Players can explore different character combinations and unlock numerous achievements, leading to potentially hundreds of hours of gameplay. Overall, the combination of engaging mechanics and extensive post-game content makes it a rewarding experience for those seeking replay value.
- “The characters are compelling, combat is interesting with a nice difficulty curve, and the grade shop boosts replayability immensely.”
- “Easily 50 hours of content, lots of post-game content, and replay value with new game+ grade shop perks will provide you with hundreds of hours of gameplay potentially.”
- “Like most Tales games, this has immense replay value.”
- “The game is very playable on easy and semi-automatic combat - but is most rewarding if you're the kind of person who wants to do awesome combos or like type effectiveness or like enormous single hits, etc. All party members are playable as soon as they join, and are all very effective.”
- “Buying this game at its full price will give you a 50-hour adventure with a significant amount of replayability.”
- “I think I beat this game three times on Xbox 360, and with it having new game+ features, the replay value is incredibly high.”
emotional
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
6%
The emotional aspect of the game has garnered mixed reviews, with many players praising its ability to evoke strong feelings, often leading to tears during key moments and character interactions. The story is described as a heartwarming journey, enhanced by excellent voice acting and music that deepens emotional scenes. However, some players criticize the emotional stakes as lacking depth, resulting in a disconnect from the narrative and characters.
- “This game is so good it made me cry several times!”
- “The dialogue and character interactions are top-notch, and the English voice acting adds an extra layer of depth to the emotional moments.”
- “You will feel emotionally attached to these characters and wonder how they and the world surrounding them progress as the story unfolds.”
- “So far I can say it's total trash, boring story, awful crafting system, one of the worst controls I've ever played.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
11%
50%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant bugs and performance issues, particularly with menus and gamepad support. However, many users report that the game runs smoothly on various systems, including lower-end hardware, with only minor glitches noted during extended play. Overall, while there are notable stability concerns for some, many players find the game enjoyable and playable despite these issues.
- “No glitches that I can see, and the art style is complemented and held together well.”
- “I have a cheap and cheerful HP Omen rig with an i5 and a barely passable GTX 1050, but I can run the game on its highest settings and still get a steady 60fps with no glitches or issues so far.”
- “Performance-wise, the game runs great, looks great, and sounds great outside of the previously mentioned new voice work.”
- “Tales of application launch error is cool, 12 hours of troubleshooting and still can't play.”
- “Game is notoriously buggy and nigh unplayable.”
- “It runs horribly and no matter what I do, with or without mod fixes, it constantly stutters or freezes.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its enchanting music, beautiful visuals, and unique town designs that enhance the overall experience. While many tracks effectively capture the mood, some players feel that certain musical choices, particularly a rock sound, do not align with the game's atmosphere. Overall, the combination of crisp visuals, rewarding sound effects, and detailed dungeon design contributes to a memorable and immersive environment.
- “Motoi Sakuraba's score is nothing short of enchanting, with each track perfectly capturing the mood of the moment and enhancing the overall atmosphere.”
- “The game also boasts beautiful visuals and an excellent soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.”
- “Crisp cell-shading mixed with fantastic lighting makes every place you go to a visual delight, with rewarding sound effects and an OST that packs so much atmosphere to really convey the feeling of each area.”
- “So far the music is my only disappointment; the sound artist went with a rock sound, but it doesn't fit with the game's atmosphere in my opinion.”
- “It helps set the mood and the atmosphere, but it's not interesting enough to remember.”
- “Wonderful game with a special, kinda odd atmosphere.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Users express concerns about monetization issues in other games, particularly noting that it detracts from the overall experience, leading some to choose alternatives like Vesperia instead. The mention of a "huge monetization problem" suggests that players are wary of how in-game purchases may impact gameplay quality.
- “I was debating whether to get this or another game, but seeing as that game has a huge monetization problem and people say that the second half feels rushed and uninspired, I decided to get Vesperia instead.”
- “I was debating whether to get this or Arise, but seeing as Arise has a huge monetization problem and people are saying that the second half of the game feels rushed and uninspired, I decided to get Vesperia instead.”