Tales of Berseria (PS4) Review

A tale of revenge.

 In anticipation for the upcoming Tales of Arise, I've decided to go back and play some of the most recent games in the Tales of series and immediately, Tales of Berseria caught my attention. Featuring a darker tone compared to other games in the series, Tales of Berseria follows the quest of a young woman out for revenge against the man who wronged her. Released back in 2017, it's one of those games that eluded me since that year was jam-packed with hit after hit. Continuing the series' action RPG gameplay and style, how does the game fare out? Well, let's find out.


 The story follows our tragic heroine Velvet Crowe, who is transformed into a demon in an attack that destroyed her village and later imprisoned by the man who she once regarded as family. It's not long after that she breaks free of her prison and vows to kill him in the name of revenge. Along the way, she'll meet up with a band of characters, wildly different as they are, join her quest to achieve their own goals. Without spoiling much, the game is heavily story-driven. I found the narrative to be well-told with the revenge and familial bonds being central themes. The game is also a prequel to Tales of Zestiria, as both games share similar with plot themes and characters, which is cool.

Speaking of the characters, they were some of the best I've seen in a while. You can relate with their struggles and the game does a fine job of giving each character their own developed story arc. Standouts include Velvet herself, the level-headed pirate Eizen, and the eccentric witch Magilou to name a few. The game is chunk full of various character "skits", which are basically interactions between the cast that are often pretty funny and gives you some insight into their lives.

Velvet and her unlikely allies are in 

for a wild, emotional adventure.

 Tales of Berseria is an action-RPG where you control Velvet or one of your three other party members as you battle enemies and level up. You can freely move in the battlefield and change perspectives quickly, fitting the fast-paced nature of the gameplay. Each character has a special abilities called an "arte" that they can pull of like magic attacks and slashes. Also, characters have a "Break Gauge" ability, a special attack that acts like a finisher when you've filled once the gauged is filled. Battles aren't cakewalks as most of the time, enemies will often interrupt and block your attacks-- even using their own artes to gain the advantage over you. So it's best to approach battles with a focused mind. Though thankfully you can adjust your ally AI by giving them a variety of commands to better fit your battle style.

The action is fast and the artes are furious.

 There's a lot to explore in the game's world, from your standard towns to optional hidden dungeons. As you navigate through the pretty large areas, you'll come across a bunch of treasure chests containing either items such as rare materials used for crafting or unique equipment for the party. "Katz" chests are unique chests that contain adorable cats, which are opened by collecting their souls scattered across the game. They're a small extra as they offer mere cosmetic items. Of course, there are optional side quests and optional bosses to keep you occupied, with the latter posing a challenge.


 It's worth noting that there's no random encounters, as enemies appear on-screen. I prefer to freely choose whether or not to fight enemies in RPGs and I find random encounter to be always annoying, but that's just my take. Grinding was a lot of fun thanks to the faced-paced nature of the game, and the fact that enemies drop a big chunk of experience. The game took around 53 hours to beat and replay vale is mostly there if you're planning on watching all of the skits as well as battling the secret bosses.

There's a good chunk of content to relish 

yourself in.

 Tales of Berseria looks fantastic considering that it's originally a PS3 game. The character models and art-style are well-drawn and the few anime cutscenes were nice to watch too. That being said, there are a few flat and frequent pop-in textures that remind you of its aged roots. Also, I found the enemy design as well as the environments to be uninspired and boring, which took me a bit from the experience. The voice acting is good with lots of commendable performances, so no issues here. You can also switch to the Japanese language if that's your preference. The soundtrack was great and some of my favorite tracks were the opening theme, "Burn", "Theme of Velvet", and "True Will".

Minor issues aside, the game is visually pleasing.

 Tales of Berseria was an engaging ride from start to finish. I loved the story and characters, both of which were awesome and memorable. The gameplay was enjoyable, as its faced-paced nature kept battles from being a chore during the 50 hour run. Despite slight issues with the visuals, the presentation remains high quality. Overall, the game was a fun experience and RPG fans looking for a great adventure, will surely find a lot to like in Tales of Berseria.