Tales of Symphonia

[Kozzymoto]

<--- Is Omni right now

You were never able to find him before that certain something happened. And he'll only be there later on in the second disk if you put a lot of money into something... but note that it's in increments. If you give too much at one time, it only counts as one increment. Hopefully you'll have some idea of what I'm talking about.

And I just realized now that the game has at least 6 different endings... hmmm...

 

[Revolutions]

^Six? Seriously?

I give. I'm buying a strategy guide. I beat it once, so it's not cheating. Also, I gave that dude 20,000 Gald. I guess there was no point in giving him that much, huh.

 

[sum41]

I'm going to ask this again. Maybe you guys who have already beaten the game can answer it for me.

Is there any benefit to saving your Grade?

 

[Revolutions]

Originally posted by Revolutions
I just beat it today. The clock was at about 42 or so hours, and the game let me start over in the same file. I'm not sure what the difference in the second run-through is, but you can buy some good stuff with your GRADE, which you should probably save if you want to play a second time.

 

[ultimaiq2]

I don't know if this has been asked before, but does anyone here know when this game is released in Europe?

 

[Giygas]

Originally posted by ultimaiq2
I don't know if this has been asked before, but does anyone here know when this game is released in Europe?

It's listed as "Q4 2004" for Europe, but no firm release date has been set. Expect it towards the end of the year, unless it's pushed back.

 

[sum41]

One more question: What happens when Collette names all the dogs? Does she get a special title or something?

 

[Craftstar]

I beat it tonight. Awesome game. Makes me glad for my Gamecube (wow!)

 

[Omnigamer]

Originally posted by sum41
One more question: What happens when Collette names all the dogs? Does she get a special title or something?

Exactly that. Zelos also gets a special title if you talk to every girl in the game, but good luck with that.

 

[sum41]

Haha, thanks for enlightening me. I just beat Volt, going to play more tonight. How long did it take you to complete the game?

 

[Craftstar]

I believe my game clock was just short of 50 hours, with basically no sidequests completed (I plan to go and do all of them that I can, then build my grade up, then restart with the 10x exp mod and other goodies and get all the stuff I missed the first time through).

 

[Omnigamer]

I wouldn't even bother with the 10x experience after your first playthrough. It's just way too expensive and there are other things you'd want to spend your GRADE on. Save that for your third playthrough (if you play that long) after you go through the game with the More GRADE effect.

My first playthrough ended at 45 hours, and I'm right at 100 hours or so right now (combined for both playthroughs), after completing most of the sidequests and other such events. As I mentioned earlier, I'm noticing that there are at least 6 endings, but the changes between them are small and mostly have no change to the main storyline. Just more of a change depending on your personal preference of characters.

 

[Zero X]

I just wanted to say that this is probly one of the best rpg games i have ever played, i mean it just plain rules. You can play with friends which is a definenetly a very good part of the games. My friend just got it recently and i had the honor to go over and play it. It was awesome, i was playing as karatos, awesome guy, not very good attacks at that time though, but io was having loads of fun. I mean the battle system just rules, it's in real time, i mean u can't beat that, and there is usually so much going on at one time, it's just one of thos unrivled rpg games that come out evry once in a while.

The story is really good too, alot of plot twists and things u never expect, happen. The characters are top notch too, i can relate alot of people to each of them, which i think is cool and funny.

So anyways, this is one of my top rated to get games of the summer, so i hope u all at least go out and try it, i know im saving up to buy it

Heppy gaming,
-Zero x-

 

[EndgameN]

Arggghhh...
I've been wanting to rent this game ever since it came out, but it's never in...>_<
So, is this as good of a game as it was hyped up to be?

 

[Zero X]

It depends on what u think, Bomb. I think that all the hype about this gamemis true, cause i truly love this game. it's a different sort of rpg, and it's awesome, so if ur an rpg fan Bomb, i suggest just buying it.

 

[Ignignokt]

This has probably already been asked, but what is a good Level to be at when you try to fight Abyssion?

 

[Omnigamer]

It hasn't been discussed before, and since it is part of a somewhat secret sidequest, I would say to mark for spoilers if the topic comes up again.

The reccomended level is 75-80, but 70 is the minimum. You could do it earlier, it just depends on which titles you've been using.

 

[Ignignokt]

Titles, huh? I never really looked into them. Where would be a good place to level up? I've been doing at *SPOILERS*
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Derris-Kharlan.

 

[Omnigamer]

*Slight Spoilers*

There isn't so much a place for leveling, but there is a way to double your earned experience. It'll take up your two accessory slots though. All you need is a Krona Symbol (You can get two from doing Arena events) and a Demon Symbol (You find one in a chest in the final area). Krona Symbol blocks all status effects indefinitely, and Demon Symbol doubles earned experience (just for that character) but gives random status effects in battle. Therefore, you get double the experience at no extra risk.You'll have to trade it around if you want an even party though. An alternate way to get more Krona Symbols and/or Demon Symbols is to revisit Dirk and Altessa after you've reached a point right before the last boss... meaning you'll have to backtrack. They'll make the accessories for you if you have the right "ingredients"... most of which are hard to come by. But good luck with that.


Also, I'll reccomend some good titles for each of the characters that you can get early on.

Lloyd
Berserker: Go into Hard or Mania mode and fight 255 battles. In the 256th, you'll get the title. Takes about an hour if you fight weak things.
Benefits: Huge increases in HP, Strength, and Accuracy at every level-up.

Eternal Apprentice: Never equip a different sword on Lloyd other than his original equiping until the battle with Kilia in Palmacosta.
Benefits: A moderate boost in every stat except TP and Int.

Genis
I hate Gels: Never use any kind of Gel up until the first fight with Pronyma.
Benefits: Moderate increase in all stats.

Colette
Friendship First: Never let anybody die in battle until the fight with Iubaris in the Tower of Mana. (Can be difficult)
Benefits: Moderate increase in all stats.

Raine
Survivor: Have Raine be the only one alive at the end of one battle.
Benefits: Slight increase in all stats.

I can't think of any good ones for the rest of them off the top of my head... but there are a bunch of them out there. Just look for ones that fit your style of fighting.

 

[Ignignokt]

*Spoilers*

Well, you don't really have to backtrack that far, once you get the Sacred Stone. But I'll try what you suggested. I guess I can also try going through the arena.

Anyway, is there any good reason to choose Zelos over Kratos, other than to get a different story? It seems they fight similar, with Zelos having a few magic attacks. Also, choosing Kratos gives you more story, right?

 

[Reckon]

Supposedly, yes.
I wouldnt know, I had Zelos.
Quite frankly, due his personality, I prefer him over the dull Kratos. Not to mention Zelos' Personal ex skill is useful early on in the game.
As for my stats:
I beat the game at 86 with a little over 100 hours clocked. Did many, if not all side quest. The only ones not completed were the extra titles that Ill get in my second run.
I finished with a tad over 5000 grade, allowing me for many extra goodies for my second run through.

 

[pikamon]

Anyone notice how silimiar this game is to FFX?


SPOILERS
***********


You got Colette/Yuna, Lioyd/Tidus, Kratos/Auron, Sheena/Rikku (I could say Raine/Lulu, but there are too many differences to do so). The storyline is pretty much the exact same, up to the final seal (The Chosen/Summoner goes from temple to temple, unlocking seals/aeons, until she finally saves/regenerates the world). Even the twist at the last seal was similar--Collette has to die (Yuna had to die too) in order to save the world. Lioyd/Tidus refuses to let that happen, and is determined to find another way. The only difference is that Tidus stopped it from happening altogether, but Lioyd hesitated and only saved her body (until later).

Anyone else notice the similarities? Granted, the story does change drastically right after that part, but from the get-go, right up to it, the two games are incredibly similiar.




*************
END SPOILER


I've played for about 19 hours so far, and I've had the game for three days. It's a remarkable game. I love it. I'm looking forward to beating it, and then replaying it again and again.

This should hold me over til Star Ocean 3 comes out, and then Fable.

 

[Omnigamer]

*Has never played FFX*

But if you want to look at things that way, you'll start seeing a whole lot of games that have similar storylines. For example, a lot of the early bickerings on the ToS boards at GFAQs were based upon the game being similar to Skies of Arcadia, a couple of the earlier FFs, Breath of Fire 2, and one or two other titles that have slipped my mind. Depending on the games that you've played, you can see similarities in storyline quite easily. But the thing is, don't think about other games. While you're playing one, just focus on that one game and don't let your mind wander or you'll ruin your experience.

Just my thought of the day.

 

[Ignignokt]

One thing I thought could of been better, was the Imposter Group. I know that there are optional scenes about them, but I would have liked them to be more important to the story.

 

[pikamon]

Originally posted by Ignignokt
One thing I thought could of been better, was the Imposter Group. I know that there are optional scenes about them, but I would have liked them to be more important to the story.

I only saw those guys one time...what ever happened to them?

 

[Reckon]

They appear various times throughout the game. I think four or five times in all. After the last time you encounter them, they stay in Hima after that.

 

[Ignignokt]

Ha ha!! I finally did it! I...




**SPOILERS**



... beat Abyssion! I didn't really think I was going to do it, since I'm only 4 Levels higher then when I first fought (and lost against) him. So, now the Devil's Arms should be activated, right? The more monsters you have killed, the more poerful it is, right?


**END SPOILERS**

 

[oni_link]

im in the temple of darkness right now with about 29 hours clocked on my file. i am really learning to hate those black blobs.

 

[pikamon]

I've got a question about the end of the game...


*******MAJOR SPOILERS************





At the end, when Lioyd sprouts wings and flies over to the new tree, what does he name it? I didn't catch it, if he even said it.

Also, what is Symphonia? I played through the entire game and didn't see it.

 

[Mediocre]

I didn't catch it, if he even said it.

He didn't.

 

[Omnigamer]

*continuation of the spoilers*

The most likely name that he gave the tree was Yggdrasil, for a couple of reasons.

1. Yggdrasil, according to Norse mythology, is the world tree, that holds the 9 worlds on three different roots.
2. In memoration of Mithos, who just wanted a world where there would be no discrimination and peace (before he was more or less insane).

This is later "confirmed" in Tales of Phantasia, which is the first Tales game made. This would make Symphonia a prequel. One of the parts of the story is that you try to save the Tree of Mana, whose Dryad (a wood spirit) gaurdian is named Martel. See the connection? On a recent playthrough, I also found another not-so-noted connection. In a book-case in Alvanista Castle, there's a passage about the world's two moons... named Sylvarant and Tethe'alla (however, they were spelled slightly differently due to the game being fan-translated).

 

[pikamon]

Well, that more or less answers the first question, but what about the word "Symphonia"?

 

[Omnigamer]

Symphonia has no connection to anything, it's just the title they decided to give the game.

 

[Venom Dream]

Well, I beat the game the second time through just a little while ago, and I must say, the more I played it the more I liked it (just like I suspected at the begining). I've started my third playthrough, and I'm leveling a whole lot (I couldn't afford Exp. X2 with the other stuff I got, so now I'm just trying to level so I can get to level 80 by the end of the game), so it's going pretty slow. But I did beat the first Fake at level 8 and the first Giant Skeleton guy (ugg, what's its name again?) at level 13, so I'd say its going well.

~ Azure

 

[Master Brandybuck]

I was wondering about the Giant Tree..

Hey, yeeeeeah.. it would make a lot of sense to name it Yggdrassil.

 

[Dazzling Angel]

I bought this game last year, played it through in a few weeks, and more or less enjoyed it. I appreciate the graphical style, and the music, while mediocre, worked reasonably well. The gameplay was certainly fun (though I hated trying to micromanage computer players during boss battles), and at some point I would like to replay it with the New Game + option. The characters, while often a bit cliched, worked quite well, and I very much enjoyed the voice acting and side-stories we were treated to (then, of course, Namco gives us the vocal disaster of Baten Kaitos, but I disgressed). However, I felt the story was rather badly executed, tried to do too many things at once, and it felt badly unconnected. I have this vision of the developers more or less choosing elements from their favorite RPGs and anime from the last ten years a la carte, and then smashing them together into a ponderous, overlong, and rather loose morass of ideas.

 

[The Swordsman]

I'm just wondering does anyone who have played Tales Of Symphonia ever used more than one EX gem in the game? I've gotten to Fooji Mountain the second time without adding another EX Gem.

 

[PerfectPixel]

Since you got the japanese names the english ones are:
Lloyrd
Collete
Kratos
Raine
Genis
Regal
Sheena
Presea

I also love this game, EXGem rocks! Sheena and Lloyd all the way!

 

[Master Brandybuck]

Are you kidding?! EX Gems rule!!

How could you not use EX Gems? You can get some awesome effects from them. Like if you combine Regal's Flash and Add Combo, he gets the ability to do a double jump in midair, Smash Bros. style! And you have to give Lv. 4 Speed Cast to Genis and Raine. You can even get Compound EX Skills that increase your experience points! Endless possibilities.. you really need to learn how they work for your own good.

Hey Perfect Pixel, you forgot Zelos.

By the way, does this game have multiple endings or just one? I've only heard about 1..

 

[The Swordsman]

I saved up a bunch of lvl 1, 2, and 3 EX gems, so I guess i'll start using them. I think they're more like ending variations depending on the relationships between Lloyd and the other characters.