Tales of Vesperia (Xbox 360)

Tales of Vesperia is the tenth game in the Tales of… series. The game’s story takes place in the world of Terca Lumireis. This world is largely sustained by “blastia”, a technology from an ancient civilization which can be used to perform a variety of tasks including powering the barriers which keep cities safe from monsters and helping knights in battle. After a war ten years ago, the world has settled into a more or less peaceful state consisting of the Empire which rules the land and various guilds which formed for those wishing to live outside the Empire’s rule. The main character in the story is Yuri Lowell, a former Imperial Knight who now helps solve peoples problems in the lower quarter. After a blastia which regulates water flow in the lower quarter is stolen, Yuri attempts to catch the thief however ends up being thrown in jail instead. He then meets a mysterious girl named Estelle while escaping; she is coincidentally searching for Yuri’s childhood friend Flynn, and from here their adventure begins.

The gameplay in Tales of Vesperia is similar to other Japanese RPG’s and games in the series. The player controls Yuri as he explores various locations and the story unfolds. Often opponents (both human and monster!) can be seen on the screen and coming into contact will begin a battle. The battle system used is an updated variation from that in Tales of the Abyss. Battles are in real time and the player can move anywhere within the limited battle area. The player can run/walk, jump, guard, perform various basic attacks, utilize artes (more powerful magic attacks, however these are limited by the amount of the players technical points), and set the strategy computer controlled party members will use. Combo attacks are also possible where a series of normal and arte attacks are strung together to deal more damage to the enemy and prevent a counterattack. Successfully completing a battle allows players to level up. As players level up new skills are learned, attack abilities increase, hit points increase, and so on.