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Coming to a Wii near you
Tales of Symphonia was released for the Nintendo GameCube back in 2003/2004. With very few RPGs having graced the platform and Namco’s history of being hesitant to release Tales games outside of Japan, gamers had something to be excited about. The game was incredibly well-received and is considered by many to be amongst the best RPGs of its generation.
Fast-forward to 2008 and things are looking pretty similar. Although the Wii is enjoying much more success than its lunchbox-styled older brother, the number of quality RPGs on the system is severely lacking (for the moment, at least). Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World will soon change this.
Balancing the world
The game is set two years after the events of Symphonia, where the parallel worlds of Tethe’alla and Sylvarant were united. Something has gone wrong with the unification however, leaving the new world unbalanced with dried-up lakes and frozen deserts. Wacked-up weather isn’t the only problem the inhabitants of the new worlds are facing. Tension and mistrust have arisen between the citizens of Tethe’alla and Sylvarant, with armies formed and war threatening to break out.
The game features two new main characters, a 16 year old male named Emil and a 15 year old female named Marta. Both lost their parents during to the unification. Without going into too much detail, the two set out on a quest to try and bring balance to the new world.
The characters from the original game make a return with the exception of Kratos, who does play a role as the game’s narrator. The returning characters temporarily join the party as ‘guest’ characters throughout the game but they don’t gain levels through battles. Doubt surrounds the status of Symphonia’s main protagonist, Lloyd Irving. Lloyd is somehow linked to the death of Emil and Marta’s parents, placing him, at least at the beginning of the game, in an antagonistic light.
Capturing the beast
A major addition to this game is the ability to capture monsters during battle and have them fight alongside the party. Monsters can be bred and even have the ability to evolve into new forms. This is something never before featured in a Tales game, and with over 200 unique creatures available for capture, expect an increased level of strategy in battle.
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