Does the Tale wag the dog?
Thankfully this Tales game for PSP is fairly snappy and fun for a game of its ilk. This game reminds me a lot of Tales of Symphonia...one of the few RPGs that I really liked. Like Symphonia, the cel-shaded characters have amusing dialog and complex relationships with one another. Also, you can avoid unwanted random encounters if you move quickly enough. The real-time battle system does involve some button mashing, but you are required tto think about what you are doing...especially in terms of conserving resources such as items and mana.
The story goes as fast or as slow as you want it to, depending on how much time you dedicate to completing all the minor side quests. Lunar Dragon Song had a somewhat similar side quest scheme, but I think that Tales does a better job of implementing this concept. Once a quest is completed, you can leave the area and return to where you need to go with the press of a button.
While the story is a bit derivative of other RPGs, it is still not totally without merit. I found myself starting to care about the characters and the world in which they live. And besides, haven't RPGs set in magical realms exhausted most of the possibilities by now.
In closing, if you are looking for an amusing, fun, well-made RPG, this game is worth a look. I completely disagree with the popular assertion that you have to be a die-hard Tales fan to enjoy this game. This is only my second Tales game and I really enjoyed it. Well, after this game, perhaps I am on my way to becoming a die-hard Tales fan. Worse things could happen.