The Tales series has always thumbed its nose at RPG traditions. Wildly popular in Japan, Tales hasn’t pierced the West in the same way that franchises like Final Fantasy have, though many of its titles remain in the pantheon of the best JRPGs. We’re counting down the 14 mainline titles released in North America — plus two released in Japan — in this guide to the best Tales games.
For those unfamiliar with the series, Tales games feature real-time combat in the style of a fighting game that’s set in the framework of an RPG. The traditions of a good JRPG are still present, though, including dense character progression, a grand narrative, and a cast of interesting characters. With the two combined, the Tales games provide a break from the monotonous gameplay that often comes from JRPGs.
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So, get your mystic arte ready for this ranking of the top Tales games.
Further reading
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Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Bandai Namco Studios
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
January 11, 2019
The most iconic of Tales games is a hotly debated topic, but most players settle on Vesperia, and we have to agree. The story is second to none, the combat system is deep once it’s fully unlocked, and many of the more tedious elements of other Tales games are streamlined. Released exclusively for the Xbox 360 in 2008, Tales of Vesperia was many players’ first introduction to the RPG series, especially in the West. You don’t need to dust off your 360 to play it, though. Namco Bandai released the Definitive Edition in 2019 for Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One, so you can experience the video game on modern systems.
T
Platforms
PlayStation 2, Nintendo 3DS
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Namco Tales Studio
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
December 15, 2005
Released originally for the PS2 in 2006 before being ported to the 3DS in 2012, Tales of the Abyss is the eighth mainline entry in the series. It’s a nearly perfect Tales game, with excellent writing, unique characters, and plenty of content. However, as is the case with a lot of Tales games, sometimes combat can feel like nothing more than button mashing. The big addition to Tales of the Abyss was “Free Run,” allowing players to move around the combat arena in any way they want. This feature has shown up in nearly all Tales games since the release of Abyss, marking it as a landmark title in the series. Unfortunately, it’s tough to find. Tales of the Abyss never received a Steam port, so you’re limited to the 3DS and PS2 versions.
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
September 10, 2021
We had one of the longest waits between entries before we finally got Tales of Arise, but the wait was well worth it. This is by far the highest budget Tales game yet, and it’s easy to see just by looking at the game in motion, especially when played on current-gen hardware. Unlike the last release, which comes next on the list, Tales of Arise smartly goes back to being a stand-alone entry that doesn’t require any previous knowledge of the series, making it even more enticing to newcomers. The gameplay has never been as smooth as it has in Tales of Arise, nor has it looked so stylish. All the hallmarks of the Tales series are here, but supercharged. Skits have been slightly altered but remain a highlight for fans, plus the amount of customization you have over just about everything makes it easy for even newcomers to JRPGs as a whole to get into. The story tackles some dark themes, including class conflict and slavery, and does a good job of handling them over the course of your quest.
Read our full Tales of Arise review
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Bandai Namco Studios
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment America, Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
August 18, 2016
Tales of Berseria is the second latest in the series, releasing only a short year after Tales of Zestiria in 2016. The two games actually take place in the same universe, though Zestiria is set some 1,000 years after the events of Berseria. The inciting incident of Berseria should be experienced unspoiled, so if you’re interested in playing the game, we suggest stopping here. It features some of the quickest and most striking character development the series has seen. You play as Velvet, a young woman whose only aspiration is to care for her ill younger brother, Laphicet. Once Daemons show up in her village, Velvet’s brother-in-law Artorius sacrifices Laphicet for a ritual known as the “Advent.” Witnessing this, Velvet rushes at Artorius, only to be overcome with Daemons. One possesses her arm, turning Velvet into a Daemon herself. Darker and slower than other Tales games, Berseria is shocking and moving, with the series’ signature combat system to back up the story.
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo GameCube
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Namco Tales Studio
Publisher
Namco, Bandai Namco Holdings, Nintendo
Release
August 29, 2003
Most Tales fans agree that Vesperia is the best. That said, Tales of Symphonia is certainly the most iconic. Released as a GameCube exclusive in the West, Tales of Symphonia quickly became the most popular title in the series and still holds the record for highest sales. Symphonia still is an early Tales game, so you can’t freely move around battle arenas and the graphics are a bit dated. Thankfully, the cel-shaded art style has aged well, and the original GameCube release maintains a solid 60 frames per second. You can also pick up the Steam port, which costs only a few dollars during most sales.
T
Platforms
PlayStation 3
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Namco Tales Studio
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
September 08, 2011
Tales of Xillia isn’t as defining for the series as Symphonia or Vesperia, but it includes all of the elements of a good Tales game. The combat is frantically fast-paced, the characters are quirky and lovable, and the plot is fairly unique. That said, it’s a bit short, as you can play through the campaign as two different protagonists. While searching for his professor, medical student Jude Mathis stumbles upon a military research facility with a weapon of mass destruction called the Lance of Kresnik. Mathis, after being found in the facility, is saved by Milla Maxwell. After destroying the weapon, you choose to play as either Milla or Jude as they run from the officials behind the Lance of Kresnik.
Similar to Xillia, Tales of Graces f isn’t a landmark game in the series, but still includes enough to be among the best. The story isn’t as thrilling, with you following a swordsman who befriends an amnesiac, but it’s still charming and lighthearted. This is a character story focused on friendship, and although the scale isn’t as grand as some other Tales games, it’s still a journey worth taking.
T
Platforms
PlayStation, PlayStation 2
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Namco Tales Studio, Wolf Team
Publisher
Namco, Namco Bandai Games
Release
December 23, 1997
Tales of Destiny was the first title in the series to get a North American release. Although the hybrid combat and characters were enough to draw in a few new fans, Tales of Destiny released for the original PlayStation in the same year as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy Tactics, and, oh yeah, Final Fantasy VII. To say Tales of Destiny was overshadowed would be an understatement. Still, Tales of Destiny remains one of the better titles in the Tales series. It even received a full remake on the PS2, though it was only released in Japan.
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
tri-Crescendo, Bandai Namco Studios
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment, Bandai Namco Games
Release
January 22, 2015
Tales of Zestiria was released a year before Berseria, and despite being one of the more recent titles, it’s a return to form for the Tales series. Cliché as it is, you play as Sorey, a village boy who finds out that he’s the only person who can save the world from darkness. There are some interesting story beats, but the overall plot is a bit stale. That said, it integrates with the gameplay perfectly. Powerful as he is, Sorey can see members of a spirit race known as Seraphim. These god-like beings are a core plot element, but also a core gameplay element. You can call upon Seraphim during battles to perform long-distances artes, and Sorey can even combine with Seraphim to unlock an entirely new move set.
Tales of Xillia 2 directly follows the events of the first game, though you take control of a different protagonist. Ludger Krenik, the silent character you play as, can travel between parallel dimensions to keep the world he calls home in balance. Xillia 2 also offers an extended look at the cast of characters in the first game.
The expanded take on the story is a little too expanded, though. The game sags a lot in the midsection, with a lot of backtracking and fetch quests. Still, Xillia 2 features the same combat system as the first game, with an interesting overall plotline.
E10
Platforms
PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Portable, iOS, Super Famicom
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Wolf Team
Publisher
Namco
Release
December 15, 1995
Tales of Phantasia is the first game in the series, originally released as a Japan exclusive for the Super Famicom in 1995. Upon its release, Phantasia was praised for its unique take on combat, breaking from the tradition of turn-based battles in favor of a fast and fluid real-time battle system. Western fans can still play Phantasia, which was released in North America on the GameBoy Advance in 2006 and ported to iOS in 2014. That said, Phantasia feels disappointing compared to the more recent titles in the series. The characters are still interesting, but the plot feels stale and the combat system underdeveloped.
Platforms
iOS, PlayStation Vita
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
7seventh chord, Namco Bandai Games
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
March 07, 2013
Similar to Dragon Quest XI, which received a Japan-only port on 3DS completely redesigned for the platform, Tales of Hearts was released as a Japan exclusive for the Nintendo DS in 2008. It eventually made its way to Western shores in the form of a 3D remake for the PlayStation Vita in 2014. While Phantasia feels like a precursor to the entire series, Hearts R feels like one of the more modern entries. With full 3D environments and free run in combat, it plays like a recent entry, with deep progression systems, to boot. That said, the story loses its way quickly.
T
Platforms
PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Telenet Japan, Namco Tales Studio, Alfa System
Publisher
Namco
Release
November 28, 2002
As is the case with every long-running JRPG series, the Tales franchise suffered some confusing naming conventions in its early days. Tales of Eternia was released as Tales of Destiny II in North America, though Eternia and the original Destiny don’t share any plot elements. Adding to the confusion, a proper sequel, Tales of Destiny 2, was released exclusively in Japan for the PS2. The buried identity of Tales of Eternia shows through in the final product, with a largely forgettable cast and story. It’s a fine game, featuring all of the hallmarks of the series, but it’s a far cry from some of the later entries.
T
Platforms
PlayStation 2
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Namco
Publisher
Namco, Bandai Namco Games
Release
August 25, 2005
Tales of Legendia came out during the same year as Tales of the Abyss. Considering how highly we ranked the latter, it’s not surprising that Legendia ranks so low. While it should have looked to the future, Legendia relies on outdated features like a linear battle system and archaic visuals. Legendia isn’t a terrible game, but it bears the mark of a development studio stuck in limbo. The story and gameplay are entertaining enough, but gamers will notice some aspects taken from Final Fantasy X. The game will be fairly predictable to the majority of true Tales fans.
T
Platforms
Wii, PlayStation 3
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Namco Tales Studio
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
June 26, 2008
As we’ve seen, sequels aren’t the Tales series’ strong point. But where both of the Xillia games are relatively decent, the two Symphonia games are like night and day in terms of quality. The sequel could not be more different than the original. The sequel lost everything good about the original and added in some not-so-great features. Even compared to other popular table games, Dawn of the New World has low-quality writing and lifeless storytelling. The game improves on a few gameplay elements but, overall, it just doesn’t measure up. The game might be worth your time if you’re already a massive fan of Symphonia. You’ll just want to be prepared to set your expectations a lot lower. Dawn of the New World doesn’t have any of the quality and emotional depth as the original.
Platforms
PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Namco Tales Studio
Publisher
Namco, Bandai Namco Games
Release
December 16, 2004
Tales of Rebirth and Tales of Innocence aren’t bad games, but they don’t hold up for in a ranking of the best Tales games in the U.S. Both titles were released exclusively in Japan, and we don’t expect ports. That said, if you can read Japanese and don’t mind importing, you can play them. Tales of Rebirth was released on the PS2 in 2004. Following the success of Tales of Symphonia, the game kept the three-lane battle system as well as multiple other mechanics. Rebirth is one of the better games in the series, though tracking down a copy is tough. Tales of Innocence was released in 2007 for the Nintendo DS and was ported to the PlayStation Vita later. Innocence keeps the Linear Motion Battle System from previous games but tweaks it with Dimension Stride. Dimension Stride allows you to knock an enemy into the air during battle and follow up with midair attacks.
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