Usually, I try to review the game per se, without referencing too much to the other chapters of the same saga. However, I feel compelled to take a different route this time, focusing more on its role as a 'Tales of' game.

But maybe you, dear reader, are looking for a JRPG and you don't know anything about the saga... So I'll give you a straight and brief answer right away: it's an AWESOME game. It has all good elements of roleplay games (vivid worlds full of lore, great characters heavily developed, an epic adventure full of emotions, drama and humor) combined with a fun fast-paced real-time fighting system, deep yet simple.

9/10

Now, to address my fellow fans of the 'Tales of' games. Before Berseria, I played (and reviewed here on Steam) Zestiria and I was a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad game, but it felt like they tried to change too many things in just one go, resulting into a messy execution. They totally learned their lessons with Berseria, improving basically everything I didn't like from the previous game. The result?

Tales of Berseria is one of the best chapters of the saga, with a strong story and great characters. The combat system regains the flexibility and the customization that were lost in Zestiria; not only that, but it adds mechanics peculiar to specific party members, creating depth and encouraging the player to change frequently the one that's directly controlled. Some of them are a bit hard to master, but since you can leave them in any moment to the CPU's care it's not a real issue. Honestly, it's the game I've spent less time using the main character than any other 'Tales of' game. As in Zestiria, you don't have a MP bar, but an Action bar, that refills over time during the fights and refills completely at the end of the battle, allowing to go all out rather than saving on your Artes.

The world map, as it happened in Zestiria, doesn't exist anymore, it's just a series of interconnected areas, some big (like plains, snow fields, beaches, roads), some small (dungeons and cities): you don't have flying vehicles like Symphonia, Abyss or Vesperia to mention a few. However I realize this is the direction they chose with the games (since, as I said, it was already in Zestiria) and I can't really complain: I believe it's actually better this way, allowing to introduce big and suggestive landscapes; it was still worth mentioning it.

The story is a bit darker than usual and it's very well written: still, you can expect character interactions and skits to brighten up your travel. The characters are GREAT and they get serious development, as per series standard. Also, as an added bonus, Berseria is a prequel to Zestiria, but like 1000 years before, so you are not required to play both of them to know what's going on, but if you did, you'll find many interesting elements of lore and extra character backgrounds (with all the emotional consequences... I'm looking at you Eizen).

The only negative element I found in Berseria is the crafting system: it requires lots of farming and patience, asking the player to improve a piece of equipment up to a certain point using crafting resources only to break it to gain new types of resources based on how much you previously improved it. Also, you rarely have the resources to improve the newest weapons and armors, so you have to decide to either stick to your improved equipments or have something new that has a negative impact on your character (the more improved equipments you have, the more your character receives bonuses). Honestly, it sucks out the excitment of getting a new blade or a new suit of armor. Still, it's a bit more accessible than the one in Zestiria, so it's a small step in the right direction. Also, every piece of equipment has a passive ability that you can 'learn' by fighting: once you mastered it, you'll keep that ability (that can even be a permanent stat boost) even if you disequip that piece of equipment. This helps improving the characters over time, along with the standard level advancement.

In the end, it's a really great chapter for the 'Tales of' saga and I strongly recommend it.

Final votation: 'Almost Vesperia'

Usually, I try to review the game per se, without referencing too much to the other chapters of the same saga. However, I feel compelled to take a different route this time, focusing more on its role as a 'Tales of' game. But maybe you, dear reader, are looking for a JRPG and you don't know anything about the saga... So I'll give you a straight and brief answer right away: it's an AWESOME game. It has all good elements of roleplay games (vivid worlds full of lore, great characters heavily developed, an epic adventure full of emotions, drama and humor) combined with a fun fast-paced real-time fighting system, deep yet simple. 9/10 Now, to address my fellow fans of the 'Tales of' games. Before Berseria, I played (and reviewed here on Steam) Zestiria and I was a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad game, but it felt like they tried to change too many things in just one go, resulting into a messy execution. They totally learned their lessons with Berseria, improving basically everything I didn't like from the previous game. The result? Tales of Berseria is one of the best chapters of the saga, with a strong story and great characters. The combat system regains the flexibility and the customization that were lost in Zestiria; not only that, but it adds mechanics peculiar to specific party members, creating depth and encouraging the player to change frequently the one that's directly controlled. Some of them are a bit hard to master, but since you can leave them in any moment to the CPU's care it's not a real issue. Honestly, it's the game I've spent less time using the main character than any other 'Tales of' game. As in Zestiria, you don't have a MP bar, but an Action bar, that refills over time during the fights and refills completely at the end of the battle, allowing to go all out rather than saving on your Artes. The world map, as it happened in Zestiria, doesn't exist anymore, it's just a series of interconnected areas, some big (like plains, snow fields, beaches, roads), some small (dungeons and cities): you don't have flying vehicles like Symphonia, Abyss or Vesperia to mention a few. However I realize this is the direction they chose with the games (since, as I said, it was already in Zestiria) and I can't really complain: I believe it's actually better this way, allowing to introduce big and suggestive landscapes; it was still worth mentioning it. The story is a bit darker than usual and it's very well written: still, you can expect character interactions and skits to brighten up your travel. The characters are GREAT and they get serious development, as per series standard. Also, as an added bonus, Berseria is a prequel to Zestiria, but like 1000 years before, so you are not required to play both of them to know what's going on, but if you did, you'll find many interesting elements of lore and extra character backgrounds (with all the emotional consequences... I'm looking at you Eizen). The only negative element I found in Berseria is the crafting system: it requires lots of farming and patience, asking the player to improve a piece of equipment up to a certain point using crafting resources only to break it to gain new types of resources based on how much you previously improved it. Also, you rarely have the resources to improve the newest weapons and armors, so you have to decide to either stick to your improved equipments or have something new that has a negative impact on your character (the more improved equipments you have, the more your character receives bonuses). Honestly, it sucks out the excitment of getting a new blade or a new suit of armor. Still, it's a bit more accessible than the one in Zestiria, so it's a small step in the right direction. Also, every piece of equipment has a passive ability that you can 'learn' by fighting: once you mastered it, you'll keep that ability (that can even be a permanent stat boost) even if you disequip that piece of equipment. This helps improving the characters over time, along with the standard level advancement. In the end, it's a really great chapter for the 'Tales of' saga and I strongly recommend it. Final votation: 'Almost Vesperia'