Tales of Symphonia 2
Console: Wii
Genre: RPG
Developer/Publisher: Namco Bandai
Release Date: November 11th
Story
***Minor Spoilers*** (From the first game)
BackgroundThe game is set in the same world asTales of Symphonia, but right after the finale of that game. The two worlds of that game, Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, have been melded into one.
After the lands became one, maps were rendered useless and the climate went through many vast changes: desert towns became frozen wastelands and lakes dried up into valleys. All of this stems from an overlooked factor in the unification of the worlds: the spirit of the old Kharlan Tree, Ratatosk, still exists somewhere, and its slumber has sent the world into chaos.
To complicate matters, tensions are escalating between the people of the two worlds. The citizens of Tethe'alla look down upon the people of Sylvarant due to their inferior technology, and the people of Sylvarant fear the citizens of Tethe'alla for their power. Two years have passed since the worlds were first merged, and the citizens of Sylvarant have created an army, known as the Vanguard, with which to rise against the Church of Martel and the people of Tethe'alla.
One day, the Church of Martel goes to war with the Vanguard, and Sylvarant's city of Palmacosta is caught in the crossfire. Countless innocent lives are lost and the city is consumed in flames. This event comes to be known as the "Purge of Blood", a massacre allegedly led by the same Lloyd Irving who helped unite the worlds two years before.
Dawn of the New Worldpossessesmultiple endings: the game's conclusion is determined by the actions the player has made throughout the game. There are three possible endings in total.
Gameplay
Battle systemDawn of the New Worlduses the "Flex Range Element Enhanced Linear Motion Battle System" (FR:EE-LMBS), combining aspects ofTales of the Abyss' andTales of Destiny's battle systems, to create a battle experience comparable toTales of Innocence'sDimension Stride Linear Motion Battle System. A key feature of this enhanced system is the Elemental Grid.Each battle location, skill, and monster will have an elemental attribute.The battlefield's element can be altered by using three skills with the same elemental attribute in a row.Changing the element of the field determines both the effectiveness of an attack, as well as the characters that can participate in Unison Attacks, which make a return from the originalSymphonia. A meter on the lower part of the screen indicates when the attack can be unleashed.Another returning element of the series are Hi-Ougis.
A fight between Emil and Decus.Another new feature is the ability to capture, breed, and level-up over 200 monsters to fight alongside Emil in battle. Monsters can be recruited once they have been defeated in battle. In order to increase the odds of a successful recruitment, the element of the field should align with the element of the monster. An altered version of the ****cTalesaffection system will also help to persuade them to join the party.Although there is room in the party for ten members, only four of them can take part in any given battle. It is noted that Emil and Marta cannot both be out of the party, one of them must be the first character in the party, as neither the Symphonia Cast nor a monster can be set to the first slot. The monsters are controlled in battle by artificial intelligence.Monsters can be stored in a pen at the Katz Guild if they are not needed in the party.There are also several sidequests available from a list to choose from at the Katz Guild.
The party obtains both experience points and GRADE after each battle. Experience points are divided equally amongst all members of the party. Once a certain amount has been accumulated, each character or monster will level up, thereby improving their stats and possibly gaining new skills.Another way to increase a monster's status parameters is by cooking them special recipes, some of which can even cause them to evolve. The variety of recipes in the game allows for a kind of "monster customization."It is noted that the Symphonia cast do not gain levels through Experience points, (instead, they gain levels during plot events) and they also cannot be higher than level 50. The amount of GRADE received depends on how each battle is fought. From the second playthrough on, collected GRADE can be used to purchase powerful items, to obtain game bonuses, or to carry skills from one file to the next.
Videos
TGS Trailer
Gamplay
Gameplay Montage-Emil's Beginning
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