Recent reviews by Vilhjálmr

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What a roller coaster ride in the months and years leading up to this game's release. I went from excitement, to dread, to apathy, and then to cautious optimism as more info was drip fed since the initial announcement.

After spending a good amount of time with it, I can safely say Bloober Team did about the best job anyone could have expected when it comes to remaking this classic in the modern era. I dare say it's one of the best examples of a modern remake we've ever gotten.

Granted, it's not perfect. Far from it. The decision to tone down some of the original's sexual themes will spark some just criticism. Character designs play it safe and are a bit underwhelming, and some sections of the game start to border the realm of tedium in an effort to flesh out the experience into a much longer trek than the OG, although much of the additions work well such as the expanded town and the prison.

By far I think the biggest thing Bloober nailed though is the atmosphere. It's absolutely outstanding. The amazing fog effects, architecture, level design, the sense the spaces were lived in, the dark interiors, the sound design, it all blends together perfectly. I just wanted to explore every inch and not miss a thing (I managed to find all notes in my first playthrough but missed a couple photos and flashbacks).

Overall, highly recommended. Whether you're new to the franchise or a long time SH fan, there's a lot to like here.

Just spent 170+ hours doing every quest I could and trying to explore every location, and I'm already thinking about rerolling with a new character

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡀⠠⠤⠤⠀⣠⣨⣤⣀⣀⡂⢄⡀⠐⢤⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⢄⠮⣆⠡⠰⠦⣤⣂⣻⢿⣶⣶⣮⣝⠺⣍⣾⡷⣾⣶⡶⣄⣈⠐⠠⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣾⣺⣯⣭⣭⣝⣛⠲⢶⣭⣿⣛⣿⣷⣾⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣽⣾⣧⣲⣠⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣒⣻⡿⣿⣷⣶⣶⣾⣽⣿⣿⠷⠻⠛⣛⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⣀⠠⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⡽⣾⣖⣶⣿⣽⣿⣿⡿⠟⢋⠅⠄⠜⢂⠩⠁⠈⢽⣿⣿⡿⠿⠯⠯⠽⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣌⢣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣨⠿⣛⣻⣭⣭⣵⣶⣾⣿⠉⡌⠂⢡⠔⢈⣤⣶⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⣩⣬⣤⣤⣐⠍⡻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣯⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢂⡴⣿⣯⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠡⠎⠀⢈⣤⣾⣿⣿⣿⠿⠟⠛⠉⠩⣝⡽⡻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣮⡻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠆⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠠⣺⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⢡⡏⢀⣴⣿⣿⡿⠟⢉⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣨⣿⣿⡳⣣⢎⠽⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⡀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⡀⣚⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣽⡴⢩⣶⣿⣿⡿⠋⠀⠔⠀⠈⢁⠫⢟⣯⣹⣿⡿⣿⣷⣿⣮⢧⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡢⠀⠀
⠀⠀⢨⣽⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣽⣿⢣⣿⣿⣿⣛⠆⠀⠂⠀⠀⠀⠁⢀⢪⢷⣿⢿⣟⣿⣯⢋⠉⢯⡝⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠄⠀
⠀⢘⢰⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣻⢷⣿⣿⣿⡿⣱⡚⠀⡈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡐⠿⠋⠈⠀⠠⠫⢻⡧⠀⢛⡜⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣏⠀
⠀⣠⣰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣇⠿⣯⣟⣿⣿⣿⡿⣔⡳⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⠁⠑⡇⠐⣏⡽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀
⠤⣼⣞⣿⣿⣿⣿⠣⠊⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⠳⣌⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⠁⠀⡗⣾⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣯⡀
⠰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡯⠀⢠⣿⣿⣳⣿⢏⡳⣜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢼⡱⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣴
⢸⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⠠⣰⣿⣿⢫⡟⢧⢎⡵⢪⠄⠀⠀⢀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⠧⣽⣿⢿⣿⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟
⢐⢣⣿⣿⣿⣯⢞⢻⠏⢸⡹⢎⡳⢎⡜⣣⢆⡖⡄⠀⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⢄⡝⣮⣿⢿⣿⣯⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢺⣿⣿⣿⣿⡜
⡎⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⠀⠀⡞⣱⢫⡜⣣⢞⡱⢎⡼⡑⠀⠀⠂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⢀⡞⣼⣿⡿⣿⣯⣿⣟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⠀
⡏⣱⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⢿⡰⢇⡾⣁⡎⣱⠏⣶⠹⣆⡀⠀⠆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠆⡾⣉⣿⣿⣿⣿⣹⣷⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀
⠘⣏⢟⣿⡏⠁⠁⠂⢘⡣⡝⣎⠶⡱⢎⡵⢋⠶⡹⣌⣆⠀⠐⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣗⣿⣿⣯⣿⣿⣻⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠈⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀
⠀⠙⢺⢿⣷⠁⠀⠁⠈⢧⣙⢦⢫⡕⣫⠜⣭⢚⡵⢪⠴⣰⠀⠈⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠂⡴⣣⣿⣿⣷⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠁⢸⣾⣿⣿⣿⠃⠀
⠀⠀⠸⣯⢹⣷⢲⠀⠠⠸⡜⢮⡱⢎⡵⢋⠶⣩⠖⣭⢚⡥⢧⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡴⣷⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⣸⣿⣿⡿⠉⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠸⡾⢹⡹⠀⠀⠀⢻⢦⡙⢮⡜⣭⢚⡥⣛⠴⣫⢜⣣⢳⠀⢀⡠⢤⣻⣾⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⣿⣿⣟⠁⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⡇⢸⢥⠀⠀⠐⠈⡶⣙⢦⡙⢦⣋⠶⣩⠞⣥⢚⡴⣋⠀⢫⣜⣳⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⢠⣿⡿⠂⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢘⢮⠀⠀⠀⠐⢳⡩⢖⡹⢦⡙⢮⡱⣚⠴⣋⠶⣩⢛⠼⣰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡀⣾⢟⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⠈⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⡟⣬⢓⡣⡝⢦⠳⣍⠞⣥⢛⡴⣋⠞⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠃⣰⡟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠀⢀⠀⠀⢹⢢⢏⠶⣙⢎⡳⣌⠻⣔⢫⠴⣩⢾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⢰⣿⡍⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⠀⠀⠀⢀⣏⢎⡳⣍⢮⡱⢎⡳⣌⢧⡛⡴⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠣⡟⠏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⠀⠠⠀⠈⢣⢳⡜⢦⡙⢮⡱⢎⠶⣙⢼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠣⠊⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠄⠑⠤⣈⢲⡙⢦⡝⣲⡙⣎⠳⣍⢾⣿⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠯⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢀⠢⣄⠑⢫⢖⡹⢦⡹⣌⠳⡜⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠯⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⠰⠤⣳⡝⡳⣮⢿⣿⣷⣬⣻⣾⣿⢿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠃⡒⢽⣳⣿⣷⣮⣿⣻⣿⣽⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠈⢠⠀⠠⠘⡼⡲⣟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠳⠂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠐⠀⠀⠈⠤⣀⡴⡊⠪⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡷⠂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡂⢪⠀⠀⠀⠰⡀⢷⣱⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣯⣝⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠌⠀⡸⠄⠆⠀⠀⠘⣮⣿⣮⣟⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢷⣏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⢲⣰⣦⣤⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠊⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

"⠄⣾⣿⠿⠿⠶⠿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣤⣄⢀⡅⢠⣾⣛⡉⠄⠄⠄⠸⢀⣿⠄
⢀⡋⣡⣴⣶⣶⡀⠄⠄⠙⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣴⣿⣿⣿⢃⣤⣄⣀⣥⣿⣿⠄
⢸⣇⠻⣿⣿⣿⣧⣀⢀⣠⡌⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠿⠿⣿⣿⣿⠄
⢸⣿⣷⣤⣤⣤⣬⣙⣛⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⡍⠄⠄⢀⣤⣄⠉⠋⣰
⣖⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢇⣿⣿⡷⠶⠶⢿⣿⣿⠇⢀⣤
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣽⣿⣿⣿⡇⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣶⣥⣴⣿⡗
⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⠄
⣦⣌⣛⣻⣿⣿⣧⠙⠛⠛⡭⠅⠒⠦⠭⣭⡻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠃⠄
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡆⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠹⠈⢋⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣵⣾⠃⠄
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠄⣴⣿⣶⣄⠄⣴⣶⠄⢀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠃⠄⠄
⠈⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄⢻⣿⣿⣿⠄⣿⣿⡀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣛⠛⠁⠄⠄⠄
⠄⠄⠈⠛⢿⣿⣿⣿⠁⠞⢿⣿⣿⡄⢿⣿⡇⣸⣿⣿⠿⠛⠁⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄
⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠉⠻⣿⣿⣾⣦⡙⠻⣷⣾⣿⠃⠿⠋⠁⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⢀⣠⣴
⣿⣶⣶⣮⣥⣒⠲⢮⣝⡿⣿⣿⡆⣿⡿⠃⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⣠"

I haven't played many Tales games, but this one had a great story, great acting (JP), and gameplay that didn't get stale. That last one is particularly a rarity among JRPGs in my opinion.

Highly recommended.

Why has this game not seen a single update since release but suddenly the MS Store gets a fully updated and patched version? Will change to positive if the Steam release ever gets patched.

Update: changed to recommended due to patch.

Narmaya sideboob. Nuff said.

Super comfy FedEx and Screenshot simulator.
Great port. DLSS 2.0 is FUTURE

Really interesting story so far and cool visual style. I just wish it ran a bit better for me.