Summary
When it comes to RPGs, theTales ofseries holds a very special place in the industry, recognized for its storytelling, memorable characters, and innovative gameplay mechanics. Since its humble beginnings in 1995 withTales of Phantasia, the series has continued to capture and retain the attention of its fans and those of the JRPG genre in general with its frequently emotional narratives, unique artstyle, and ever-evolving combat systems. Now that theTales ofseries is nearly 30 years old, however, that means some of its oldest titles are due for a remaster.
Fortunately, Bandai Namco has initiated the “Tales ofSeries Remaster Project,” in which it aims to reinvigorate many of the series' most beloved titles for modern audiences. While there are more than a handful ofTales ofgames that could use a remaster, a few of them stand out more than others as being worthy of the treatment.
Tales of Games That Deserve a Remaster
Tales of Xillia and Its Sequel Are Most Worthy of a Remaster
Of all theTalesgames yet to be remastered,Tales of Xilliaand its sequel are arguably the two most worthy. These two titles aren’t necessarily the best in the series, but they are still two of the franchise’s most important entries for what they introduced to it. For example, unlike many other games in the series,Tales of XilliaandTales of Xillia 2both explore darker, more mature themes — an approach that has become even more popular in modern gaming. Furthermore, they introduced theDual Raid Linear Motion Battle System, which allows characters to link attacks during combat, adding quite a bit more strategy to battle.
Tales of XilliaandTales of Xillia 2also include a branching narrative that is heavily influenced by player choice, thereby giving their narratives a degree of flexibility that many otherTalesgames don’t have. This is emphasized even more inTales of Xillia 2, which explores moral ambiguity more than its predecessor and therefore presents players with more difficult choices throughout its story. Needless to say,Tales of XilliaandTales of Xillia 2are both due for a remaster, so fingers crossed that they’re high on the list of Bandai Namco’s priorities.
Yuki Ishikawa Wants to Remaster Tales of the Abyss
Another great title more than deserving of a remaster isTales of the Abyss, which is a project that Yuki Ishikawa, producer of theupcomingTales of Graces f Remastered, has expressed a personal interest in heading up. In light of that alone, it’s probably only a matter of time beforeTales of the Abyssgets a remaster, and as it is one of the most beloved entries in the series, there is little reason why it shouldn’t be remastered very soon.
Tales of the Abyssintroduced the Free Run system, which allows players to move freely in battle. This feature then became a staple for the series, if that says anything aboutTales of the Abyss' impact. From a narrative standpoint,Tales of the Abyss' themes of identity, destiny, and redemption, as well as its various character arcs, like that of protagonist Luke fon Fabre, all work together to make it one of the best stories in the entire series.Tales of the Abyssalso has one of thebest villains in theTales ofseries. The only problem is that its visuals and performance are now significantly dated, which means a remaster is very much in order.
Tales of Legendia Could Actually Do With a Remake
Tales of Legendiais a bit of an outlier when it comes toTalesgames that deserve a remaster, as it could do, not only with a remaster, but with a full-blown remake as well. While a remaster could certainly enhance its visuals, potentially its audio, and increase its accessibility for modern audiences, a full remake might be better for it in the long run, as its gameplay has always been in need of a serious overhaul.Tales of Legendia’s unique Character Quest system is one of its better features, giving additional story arcs to the game’s characters after the main story, but its 2D Linear Motion Battle System was already dated at the time of its release and would therefore be a major point of contention if it weren’t significantly reworked in a remake.
Nevertheless, even without receiving a full remake, aTales of Legendiaremaster would benefit the game massively, as it is one of thelesser-known installments in theTalesseries, despite being one of the better ones in terms of its protagonist and emotional story. As such, remasteringTales of Legendiawould help introduce the game to modern audiences, especially now that the original game is nearly 20 years old.
