I think of the Tales series as RPG comfort food. It reliably delivers cheerful characters, a story anchored in friendship, and a unique brawler-tinged spin on RPG combat. Tales of Zestiria is no exception, but the big shift to an open world and some flashy new combat moves makes it pleasantly different from its predecessors.
The first and most welcome change is its open world. Zestiria removes the pen that once confined us to narrow corridors of trees and bushes and lets you freely journey through a nice variety of locations that include green pastures, sand-swept deserts, and gloomy swamps. This gives Zestiria’s world a sense of immersion that some of its more linear predecessors lack. Treasure chests and stat-boosting herbs found throughout a typical Tales world are still there, but I like that Zestiria also includes Normin: cute little critters tucked away in hidden corners that grant special skills to equipment. There are also Lords of the Land, helpful deities that let you do things like fast-travel and replenish treasure chests if you establish a good enough rapport with them. These are all nice rewards for putting on your wide-brimmed fedora and venturing through the landscape.
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The first and most welcome change is its open world. Zestiria removes the pen that once confined us to narrow corridors of trees and bushes and lets you freely journey through a nice variety of locations that include green pastures, sand-swept deserts, and gloomy swamps. This gives Zestiria’s world a sense of immersion that some of its more linear predecessors lack. Treasure chests and stat-boosting herbs found throughout a typical Tales world are still there, but I like that Zestiria also includes Normin: cute little critters tucked away in hidden corners that grant special skills to equipment. There are also Lords of the Land, helpful deities that let you do things like fast-travel and replenish treasure chests if you establish a good enough rapport with them. These are all nice rewards for putting on your wide-brimmed fedora and venturing through the landscape.
Continue reading…
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