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Tales of Xillia

Tales of Xillia gives JRPG fans an addictive experience that's hard to ignore. Linked combat alongside clever leveling schemes and a narrative told in a big way will have players aching to play through as both Milla and Jude.
Tales of Xillia Game Cover
74%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
gameplay, grinding
85% User Score Based on 37 reviews
Critic Score 77%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Playstation 3PlayStation
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Tales of Xillia Game Cover

About

Tales of Xillia is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Namco Tales Studio and was released on September 8, 2011. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Tales of Xillia" is a Role Playing game that offers both single-player and co-op options for 2 players. Players can choose to follow the journey of Jude Mathis, a clever medical student, or Milla Maxwell, a mysterious woman, as they work to restore mana to the world of Rieze Maxia. With an intriguing story and a vast ensemble of characters, players will experience the strength of unwavering conviction as they try to stop the kingdom of Rashugal from draining the world's mana.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Tales of Xillia screenshot
Tales of Xillia screenshot
Tales of Xillia screenshot
Tales of Xillia screenshot
Tales of Xillia screenshot
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85%
Audience ScoreBased on 37 reviews
story20 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The game features a great and tragic story, with a darker atmosphere that adds depth to the narrative.
  • The combat system has been improved with new mechanics, allowing for more dynamic battles and character interactions.
  • The soundtrack is exceptional, featuring remixes and new tracks that enhance the overall experience.
  • Many areas are reused from the previous game, leading to a lack of exploration and discovery.
  • The debt system can be frustrating, as it forces players to grind for money to progress in the story.
  • The plot can be convoluted at times, making it difficult to follow without prior knowledge of the series.
  • story
    70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Tales of Xillia 2" is noted for its darker and more personal narrative compared to its predecessor, featuring a rich array of side quests that enhance character relationships and storytelling. While some players found the plot convoluted and criticized the debt system that hampers story progression, many appreciated the character development and the engaging writing. Overall, the game offers a compelling tale that, despite some pacing issues and reliance on previous game assets, remains a strong entry in the series for fans of RPGs.

    • “The story isn't convoluted like it could get with games that deal with timelines, preventing the plot from being a total mess of changes in a single timeline.”
    • “Ultimately, though, just like the first game, Tales of Xillia 2's greatest strength lies in its characters, its writing, and its story, all of which return here with a vengeance.”
    • “It's a much darker, more personal story than Tales of Xillia's, yet is equally as poignant, especially in the end.”
    • “The plot is very straightforward, very predictable, and a sad attempt at trying to add another layer to the story that doesn't need to exist in the first place.”
    • “Furthermore, the game's plot is spread very thin, as I said before, most of the game consists of these debt interval paybacks and during these intervals in the game, you absolutely have no access to any dialogue, no skits, no boss encounters, no story progression at all until you get to what's called the 'main chapter' of the game.”
    • “It isn't Xillia quality at all in my opinion, nor Tales series quality. It feels like the main character is a random character model thrown into the world and doesn't say a single word while everyone else has the same lovable Tales quality dialogue, very little to no information on him, the story is all over the place, and the whole loan system ruined it for me.”
  • gameplay
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "Tales of Xillia 2" features refined combat mechanics that stay true to the series while introducing new elements, such as a choices mechanic that affects relationships and endings. While some players appreciate the fresh changes, others find the gameplay can become repetitive, especially towards the end. Overall, the game is considered a solid addition to the franchise, despite some criticisms regarding party member limitations and pacing.

    • “One of Tales of Xillia's major strengths was its gameplay and combat, and that returns here with some changes that will please some and disappoint others.”
    • “Overall, the changes in gameplay are small, but feel just significant enough to stay fresh.”
    • “The combat system is improved further with the introduction of a few new game mechanics, but they stay true to the combat system of the Tales series and deliver a great story.”
    • “I haven't played more than an hour, which isn't far, but the beginning of the loan system ruined the gameplay for me, especially after everything that made no sense on the train. I read a lot of reviews on this, and it turns out people barely get 18 hours of gameplay, which is somewhat surprising given the series' history.”
    • “Gameplay got a bit repetitive after a while - after all the character stuff was done, I just rushed toward the end.”
    • “[Poor voice acting, no option for Japanese voices, hit and miss level design, last-gen visuals, so-so leveling system, multiple stories is a weak mechanic]”
  • graphics
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in Xillia 2 are praised for their beauty and artistic quality, contributing to an engaging visual experience. However, some reviewers note that the visuals feel dated, reflecting the limitations of the PS3 hardware. Overall, while the graphics are a highlight, they are accompanied by mixed opinions on other gameplay elements.

    • “The music and graphics are pretty beautiful.”
    • “Xillia 2 is as much fun as the original, and was not the last of the series, but using the PS3 for maybe its last breath, the creators spun another magical quest of amazing art, graphics, characters, and familiar elements.”
    • “Poor voice acting, no option for Japanese voices, hit and miss level design, last-gen visuals, and a so-so leveling system.”
    • “The graphics feel outdated and do not meet the standards of current gaming technology.”
    • “The visual design lacks detail and fails to create an immersive experience.”
  • music
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game, composed by the legendary Motoi Sakuraba, features an amazing soundtrack that includes remixes and new original tracks, with particular praise for the final boss theme and the rhythm of "The Proof." While the game reuses music and assets from its predecessor, this is seen as a positive aspect due to the high quality of the soundtrack. Overall, the combination of beautiful music and graphics enhances the gaming experience significantly.

    • “Amazing soundtrack from the legend Motoi Sakuraba. Remixes and new OST are present in this game, and they are all awesome, especially the final boss theme and the rhythm of the proof.”
    • “The music and graphics are pretty beautiful.”
    • “The game itself is incredible -- completely blew my expectations out of the water, especially for a sequel. It comes with a disc featuring 15 tracks from the soundtrack, which is a fantastic addition.”
    • “The music is great, but since Tales of Xillia 2 takes place in the same world as the first game, almost all the assets are reused, including the same music, which can feel repetitive.”
    • “While the game itself is incredible, the soundtrack lacks variety and can become monotonous over time.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be significant, with a majority of the experience focused on repetitive tasks and debt repayment, overshadowing the story missions. While the game is considered good to great, the grindiness can be overwhelming, particularly on higher difficulty settings, leading some to opt for easier modes to manage their limited gaming time.

    • “These little story missions drive the whole plot, but they feel like only about 20% of the experience, while 80% is spent grinding endlessly and paying back debts.”
    • “Good, borderline great, but very grindy depending on the difficulty setting.”
    • “I usually play Tales games on their hardest difficulty setting, but due to my limited gaming time and the grindy nature of this particular one, I was forced to put it on easy.”
  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is described as dark and tragic, marking it as the most somber entry in the Tales series. Reviewers appreciate the depth of the story, highlighting its emotional weight and satisfying narrative experience.

    • “In the golden age of RPGs, Tales was one of the best. The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with a great and tragic story that stands out as the darkest in all Tales games. It's dark in a good and sad way, creating a truly satisfying experience.”
    • “The atmosphere in this game is hauntingly beautiful, drawing you into its world with every detail. The combination of music, visuals, and storytelling creates an emotional depth that is hard to forget.”
    • “Tales has managed to maintain a captivating atmosphere that resonates with players. The blend of dark themes and rich storytelling creates an experience that is both engaging and thought-provoking.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion that I expected from a game in this genre.”
    • “Despite the potential for a rich environment, the atmosphere is disappointingly bland and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
    • “The game tries to create a dark atmosphere, but it ends up feeling forced and unconvincing, leaving me disconnected from the story.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Tales of Xillia 2 offers a deeply emotional experience that, while challenging, is ultimately rewarding and enhances the game's overall value, making it a worthwhile play despite its flaws.

    • “It can be a rough ride emotionally, but this is ultimately a very positive quality of Tales of Xillia 2, and it is what makes this game worth playing, despite its numerous weaknesses.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers significant replayability, which is highlighted as one of its key selling points.

    • “It adds significant replayability to the game, making it one of its largest selling points.”
    • “The variety of choices and outcomes ensures that each playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
    • “With multiple paths and endings, I find myself coming back to explore every possibility.”
  • stability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, users report a high level of stability in the game, with no glitches or technical issues encountered so far.

    • “I have to say, so far I've found no glitches in this game.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or bugs.”
    • “I've played for hours and haven't encountered any stability issues.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is noted for its interesting story and significant changes to the series' formula, which enhance the overall experience. While the character designs are considered decent, the depth of character growth is complemented by a wealth of content that keeps players engaged.

    • “The character development is incredibly engaging, with each character evolving in meaningful ways throughout the story.”
    • “I love how the characters grow and change based on the choices I make, making every playthrough feel unique.”
    • “The depth of the characters and their backstories adds so much richness to the overall experience.”
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77%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews

18h Median play time
18h Average play time
36h Main story
86h Completionist
18-18h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Tales of Xillia is a role playing game.

Tales of Xillia is available on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation.

The main story can be completed in around 36 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 86 hours to finish. On average players spend around 18 hours playing Tales of Xillia.

Tales of Xillia was released on September 8, 2011.

Tales of Xillia was developed by Namco Tales Studio.

Tales of Xillia has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Tales of Xillia is a single player game with local co-op support.

Similar games include Tales of Xillia 2, Tales of Berseria, Tales of Arise, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, Octopath Traveler and others.