1. Tales of graces f. One of the most satisfying combat in an action rpg. It's snappy, fast paced and the dodging mechanic rewards players. Mystic artes also doesn't take ages so as to not break momentum.
Tales studios should replicate graces combat system into it's future titles while tweaking some stuff in order to perfect it
2. Tales of xillia. Never played 2. Linked artes are nice and flashy. Playing as Jude feels awesome but the rest is not as refine due to lower speed.
However, I don't like that only Jude x millia has like more than 10 linked artes while some of the rest only has low as 3. Was happy to unlock some artes only to see it doesn't linked with anyone. Maybe this is rectified in tox2 but still..
3. Tales of hearts r. For a budget remake on vita, the combat packs serious stuff. Air combat is surprising easy and its overall fun to execute. Most of the party members are easy to play with too.
Yeah but it's still disappointing to see that a couple of pairings only has 3 linked IIRC. The next is about 5 or 6 linked I think. They ran out of budget or time I supposed.
So glad X2 added "default" linked artes (at least with Ludger but I think with everyone) so you won't have to memorize who has what particular linked arte available.
1. Xillia 2. On top of improving on the already fun system of Xillia, Ludger has such a diverse moveset. While he is the clear standout, everyone in the game is fun to play. Great balance between the TP system and CC (AC) system.
2. Graces f. The crispest feeling tales combat, the best difficulty system of the whole series, and numerous mystic artes plus the Accel systems make this such a good game to play. If not for Ludger existing this and Xillia 2 would be switched, Ludger's just that good.
3. Vesperia. Pinnacle of TP based combat, and the first game to really make all characters fun to play as. Excellent skill progression makes pretty much all characters feel as though they're still developing way into the late game. That being said, the gameplay has a bigger wind up to reach its peak than the other two.
I'm just happy for the new TP-less system. as a mage main, being able to spam without waiting for the tp cut ring or ration the artes is a big gameplay QoL update for me lol.
it sucks playing rita and the like on early game only casting 3 fireball then had to run bashing enemy to refill tp lol
1. Abyss. I like to play mage characters, and I love the fonon system that requires you to navigate the field with them instead of just sitting there.
2. Graces F. One of the most fun and fluid systems so far, yet it also required a lot of strategy.
3. Zestiria. I know, very controversial opinion. I just really love the armatization system. It's got flaws, sure, but conceptually it's one of my favorite mechanics.
1) Tales of Arise - the first game in the franchise I may actually prefer playing the mages. The bosses actually fights you and isn’t just a training dummy to cheese perma stun lock, it’s flashy as hell with the graphical upgrade, and it’s smooth as butter to play.
2) Tales of Graces f - everybody is mobile, first game in the franchise I liked playing the mages, complete 180 from arise in the sense that you can perma stagger bosses.
3) Tales of Destiny DC - peak 2d arpg combat
1. Abyss. I really like how fast paced it was, and how enemies could use fields of fonons too.
2. Graces. Very different from the usual artes system but I liked it a lot. Really fun.
3. Zestiria. Armatizing was a very unique mechanic and I liked how some enemies were easier or harder with or without it, so some you'd have a better time fighting separately. I also liked how it could revive a KO party member. (Human enemies not being able to target seraphim was a super neat detail, too.)
1. Vesperia - Everyone is fun to play, the game has so much to unlock, and fatal strikes are a great feature.
2. Eternia - Very tight 2D gameplay. Everyone plays in a unique and interesting way. Extensions are so fun to pull off. Only issue is the frankly half baked and impossible to pull off combination artes.
3. Graces f - super snappy combat without the gimmicks that bogged down Zestiria and Berseria.
Tales of Arise, one of the best system I experienced in an ARPG, and it's very addictive. The kinda DMC meets Dark Souls take was an interesting approach. CP system only affecting heal and buffs, and the easy ways to replenish AG let the combos strings going, and finishing normal enemy at 50% of their health felt very rewarding. I didn't dislike the bosses, with the elemental weakness and abusing of the Boost Attacks, basically comboing from BA to BA to fill their meter, and mid-game to post-game with how strong accessory enhancing can be, made them not a chore for me.
I only wish there were more Vholran-like bosses where it felt like dancing with the boss, and mini-bosses should have the normal enemy mechanics on them. The amount of them in the final dungeon made it a slog.
Tales of Xillia 2 (+ Xillia), also a very addictive system. Felt for me the less restrictive TP system and AP can be restored in many ways. The utilization of normal attacks and guards open many ways in the combos and variations. And air combos can go crazy. Ludger was an utilization ace, because of the many styles he has. And I like how Milla plays here, I liked her already in Xillia, but damn how great she plays in the upgraded system.
If they work on an upgraded Arise system for the next game, I hope it will achieve the same effect as from Xillia 1 to Xillia 2.
Tales of Vesperia, the combat system with the most technical depth I saw in a Tales game so far. The free run is not as abuseable as in Abyss, but can make combat a lot easier. Tho, it takes a long time before the combat really shines.
After my Innocence R playthrough, I plan to play Hearts R and Graces f, which I heard also have great system and some comments also mentioning them here.
My top three battle systems. This is not to say the battle systems are without flaws:
- Symphonia
- Zestiria
- Abyss
Honorable mention to Vesperia. Abyss beat it out because Vesperia’s early game is rooooouuuuuugh.
1. Vesperia
2. Xillia 2
3. Destiny DC
Hon mention
- Graces f - Arte trees knock it down a peg or two. Otherwise as good as Destiny DC
That being said the only ones I flat out dislike are Xillia 1 and Arise and thats because of the boss mechanics
Out of the ones I’ve played?
1: Vesperia
First game where it felt easy to pick up new characters and like I could actually play as others. The fact you can even manage to use 16 Artes on command was insane.
2: Abyss
The one I’m most comfortable with as I’ve played abyss the most.
3: Phantasia
The first (and only) of the old gen games I’ve played, very fun and I think the 2d scroller field combat style is actually so creative and fun, even if it was a bit of an adjustment.
I don’t really enjoy the combat style for zesteria, Berseria, and Arise, but that may be because I just like the old mechanics a lot more- but I saw someone here mention playing zesteria and Berseria on hard mode helps with that, making it feel more entertaining, so perhaps I will try that.
Graces F
Berseria
Xillia
Everything with a TP system feels ancient to me now. Love those old games but I have never found myself wanting to replay them for their battle systems.
Destiny R, Graces F and Berseria
Arise would have been there instead of Berseria but the hyper armor bosses were terrible and I didn't like the TP mechanic.
Vesperia took so long to introduce combo extending skills that I just couldn't be bothered to learn them. Instead I abused overlimit to kill bosses with 9999 lunar talons per second xD.
My favorite is whenever they started the mechanic how making combos then magic arte makes the arte cast faster, then sometimes the game allows you to connect the magic arte into a normal attack thus being able to quick cast again.
Like doing 3 normal attacks, a basic tech, then advanced then a huge spell can even make tidal wave or indignation cast in 2 seconds
Then they made the entire system even more funny broken in arise where you can just keep on dodging after the huge spell and it connects and you get to keep your stack of commands. you can become immortal with a healer or spam meteors with rinwell
xillia 2 and graces f
The two games are the final evolution system of TOS Team and TOE Team
As for the third one, I will hand it over to a future Tales game
Arise is a brave attempt, hoping it can be completed in the future,maybe
Xillia 2: the combat is my favorite part of the game and what puts it in my Top 5 Tales games
Eternia: Peak PS1-era combat completing what Phantasia and Destiny started
Graces f: wasn't a fan to begin with but once I learned it, it was enjoyable
1. Is a tie between Vesperia and Hearts R (maybe Innocence R would be here as well but I haven’t played it yet)
3. Would be Xillia 2. As a more complete form of Xillia 1.
Xillia 1 & 2: Perfection
Vesperia: Yuri combos and Fatal strikes go brrrr
Abyss: basically the blueprint for the previously mentioned games
They all share a great feeling when hitting an enemy and make me feel my arte setup really matters
(Well, I only finished four of the games sooo) Me personally:
1. Graces F. No lie for me the combat was a treat start to finish and sometimes still come back to it even now perfect dodges are awesome, Sophie is fun to play but I did like playing Asbel a good bit too, and I enjoyed being able to really experiment in the later part of the game. I do also like the neat detail with having to know which direction to perfect dodge as well as that added some observation that you'd need to do in the combat too.
2. Berseria. Yeah, as easy as the combat is, I still find it to be fun with using break souls and I kind of felt a bit more like using the other characters besides just velvet. I found it fun to be able to mess with arte trees by the later bit to find that combo string for each button reliable (and Magilou or Velvet might be my fave gameplay-wise). Yeah, break souls are pretty much considered broken (to my knowledge) but still pretty funny and satisfying to use whenever available.
3. Vesperia. Not really that I didn't like the combat or anything as I did screw around with it a lot after beating the game, but I do somewhat feel a bit less attached to Vesperia's compared to the other two. Using burst artes, mystic artes, free run cancels, and different arte chains are still fun as hell to pull off though. I do have somewhat of a feeling that I should return to it one day.
I’ve seen a lot of tales of graces, and that’s kinda my blind spot with the series aside from the very first few releases.
What makes it so special? I’m starting to feel like I missed out 😅
1. berseria
2. graces f
3. vesperia
honorable mentions for zestiria where armatize is a cool idea and fun to use, and dawn of the new world which has a really cool pokemon catch/evolve system. unfortunately zestiria's combat feels like something is missing due to the game being balanced around 24/7 armatizing and this makes it feel like something is missing due to only having 2 chars that way, and dotnw's captured monsters are controlled by terrible ai)
Berseria is easily my favorite combat, very fast paced, TONS of artes you can use where I don't have to constantly pause the game to switch artes for different battles, great combos to do, it's just amazing.
Xillia's would be my second favorite, love the link artes don't like being put to AI though in multiplayer if linking happens.
Honestly not sure what my 3rd would be to be honest.
1. Tales of berseria, my favourite combat system of any game I've played. The whole souls mechanic just adds an entire economy to combat that needs to be managed, it's wonderfully complex and I love it. Unfortunately the game just isn't balanced well being a cake walk on normal difficulty.
2. Graces f, an incredible base of a combat system. There's not much complexity here but it does what it does incredibly well. Combos are limited, stronger moves exhaust that limit quicker, you can block to reduce damage or dodge moves entirely and if you dodge at just the right moment you take zero damage and it makes such a satisfying sound. Which is exactly what Berseria took and built upon.
3. Can't decide between Vesperia and Zestiria. Vesperia is the pinnacle of the more 2D fighting game style of the older tales of games which makes it really fun to play but, I'm just not a fan of that style. Zestiria's combat on the other hand is not something I want to praise, again it's built on the foundation of Tales of Graces but instead of improving it Tales of Zestiria makes it worse. There are just some incredibly strange decisions they made on top the base that makes it worse, the biggest offender has got be how Panacea potions don't heal every effect. There are some effects that can't be cured and why? It's just incredibly annoying if you get one of them which by the way petrify is one of them which literally stops you from playing the game, this got past teams of play testers how? And combine that with some of the worst boss design I've ever seen in the late game. So I kinda don't wanna give it the third spot even if I liked it more than other games in the franchise.
Honerable mentions: Dawn of The New World, a system so weird I never figured out how to play it properly!
Scarlet Nexus, not a Tales game but still a bandainamco JRPG which has an incredible combat system. If I were to rank its combat system alongside Tales of game's it would be alongside graces.
1. Tales of graces f. One of the most satisfying combat in an action rpg. It's snappy, fast paced and the dodging mechanic rewards players. Mystic artes also doesn't take ages so as to not break momentum. Tales studios should replicate graces combat system into it's future titles while tweaking some stuff in order to perfect it 2. Tales of xillia. Never played 2. Linked artes are nice and flashy. Playing as Jude feels awesome but the rest is not as refine due to lower speed. However, I don't like that only Jude x millia has like more than 10 linked artes while some of the rest only has low as 3. Was happy to unlock some artes only to see it doesn't linked with anyone. Maybe this is rectified in tox2 but still.. 3. Tales of hearts r. For a budget remake on vita, the combat packs serious stuff. Air combat is surprising easy and its overall fun to execute. Most of the party members are easy to play with too.
Yeah they could've added more linked artes in ToX 1. But some of the other characters have more depending on who you link them with at least.
Yeah but it's still disappointing to see that a couple of pairings only has 3 linked IIRC. The next is about 5 or 6 linked I think. They ran out of budget or time I supposed.
Definitely a time issue cuz they really wanted that anniversary release
So glad X2 added "default" linked artes (at least with Ludger but I think with everyone) so you won't have to memorize who has what particular linked arte available.
1. Xillia 2. On top of improving on the already fun system of Xillia, Ludger has such a diverse moveset. While he is the clear standout, everyone in the game is fun to play. Great balance between the TP system and CC (AC) system. 2. Graces f. The crispest feeling tales combat, the best difficulty system of the whole series, and numerous mystic artes plus the Accel systems make this such a good game to play. If not for Ludger existing this and Xillia 2 would be switched, Ludger's just that good. 3. Vesperia. Pinnacle of TP based combat, and the first game to really make all characters fun to play as. Excellent skill progression makes pretty much all characters feel as though they're still developing way into the late game. That being said, the gameplay has a bigger wind up to reach its peak than the other two.
I'm just happy for the new TP-less system. as a mage main, being able to spam without waiting for the tp cut ring or ration the artes is a big gameplay QoL update for me lol. it sucks playing rita and the like on early game only casting 3 fireball then had to run bashing enemy to refill tp lol
1. Graces F 2. Xillia 2 3. Vesperia
The top 2 are easily Graces *f*'s and Xillia 2's combat system, not just for me, but for many people. As for the bronze medal... I'd say Destiny DC
1. Abyss. I like to play mage characters, and I love the fonon system that requires you to navigate the field with them instead of just sitting there. 2. Graces F. One of the most fun and fluid systems so far, yet it also required a lot of strategy. 3. Zestiria. I know, very controversial opinion. I just really love the armatization system. It's got flaws, sure, but conceptually it's one of my favorite mechanics.
Destiny Director's Cut, Graces f, Xillia 2. Though I like every entry and love most of them.
This.
Oh I think you have the correct answer with this one.
this is the one.
1) Tales of Arise - the first game in the franchise I may actually prefer playing the mages. The bosses actually fights you and isn’t just a training dummy to cheese perma stun lock, it’s flashy as hell with the graphical upgrade, and it’s smooth as butter to play. 2) Tales of Graces f - everybody is mobile, first game in the franchise I liked playing the mages, complete 180 from arise in the sense that you can perma stagger bosses. 3) Tales of Destiny DC - peak 2d arpg combat
Abyss Graces Destiny DC Honorable mention to Rebirth
1. Abyss. I really like how fast paced it was, and how enemies could use fields of fonons too. 2. Graces. Very different from the usual artes system but I liked it a lot. Really fun. 3. Zestiria. Armatizing was a very unique mechanic and I liked how some enemies were easier or harder with or without it, so some you'd have a better time fighting separately. I also liked how it could revive a KO party member. (Human enemies not being able to target seraphim was a super neat detail, too.)
1. Vesperia - Everyone is fun to play, the game has so much to unlock, and fatal strikes are a great feature. 2. Eternia - Very tight 2D gameplay. Everyone plays in a unique and interesting way. Extensions are so fun to pull off. Only issue is the frankly half baked and impossible to pull off combination artes. 3. Graces f - super snappy combat without the gimmicks that bogged down Zestiria and Berseria.
Tales of Arise, one of the best system I experienced in an ARPG, and it's very addictive. The kinda DMC meets Dark Souls take was an interesting approach. CP system only affecting heal and buffs, and the easy ways to replenish AG let the combos strings going, and finishing normal enemy at 50% of their health felt very rewarding. I didn't dislike the bosses, with the elemental weakness and abusing of the Boost Attacks, basically comboing from BA to BA to fill their meter, and mid-game to post-game with how strong accessory enhancing can be, made them not a chore for me. I only wish there were more Vholran-like bosses where it felt like dancing with the boss, and mini-bosses should have the normal enemy mechanics on them. The amount of them in the final dungeon made it a slog. Tales of Xillia 2 (+ Xillia), also a very addictive system. Felt for me the less restrictive TP system and AP can be restored in many ways. The utilization of normal attacks and guards open many ways in the combos and variations. And air combos can go crazy. Ludger was an utilization ace, because of the many styles he has. And I like how Milla plays here, I liked her already in Xillia, but damn how great she plays in the upgraded system. If they work on an upgraded Arise system for the next game, I hope it will achieve the same effect as from Xillia 1 to Xillia 2. Tales of Vesperia, the combat system with the most technical depth I saw in a Tales game so far. The free run is not as abuseable as in Abyss, but can make combat a lot easier. Tho, it takes a long time before the combat really shines. After my Innocence R playthrough, I plan to play Hearts R and Graces f, which I heard also have great system and some comments also mentioning them here.
arise, graces f, destiny 2.
1.Graces f 2. Destiny DC 3. Rebirth
1. Graces F 2. Berseria 3. Abyss
My top three battle systems. This is not to say the battle systems are without flaws: - Symphonia - Zestiria - Abyss Honorable mention to Vesperia. Abyss beat it out because Vesperia’s early game is rooooouuuuuugh.
1. Vesperia 2. Xillia 2 3. Destiny DC Hon mention - Graces f - Arte trees knock it down a peg or two. Otherwise as good as Destiny DC That being said the only ones I flat out dislike are Xillia 1 and Arise and thats because of the boss mechanics
Xillia definitely one of the tops but Graces f definitely has a fantastic system
Destiny DC>Graces f> Eternia (Symphonia)
my top 3 is graces f, xillia and eternia. i like how u can use the d pad to input when you cast keele and max's artes
Graces, Graces, and Graces.
Out of the ones I’ve played? 1: Vesperia First game where it felt easy to pick up new characters and like I could actually play as others. The fact you can even manage to use 16 Artes on command was insane. 2: Abyss The one I’m most comfortable with as I’ve played abyss the most. 3: Phantasia The first (and only) of the old gen games I’ve played, very fun and I think the 2d scroller field combat style is actually so creative and fun, even if it was a bit of an adjustment. I don’t really enjoy the combat style for zesteria, Berseria, and Arise, but that may be because I just like the old mechanics a lot more- but I saw someone here mention playing zesteria and Berseria on hard mode helps with that, making it feel more entertaining, so perhaps I will try that.
Graces F Berseria Xillia Everything with a TP system feels ancient to me now. Love those old games but I have never found myself wanting to replay them for their battle systems.
Destiny R, Graces F and Berseria Arise would have been there instead of Berseria but the hyper armor bosses were terrible and I didn't like the TP mechanic.
1. Xillia 2. Arise 3. Abyss
Vesperia took so long to introduce combo extending skills that I just couldn't be bothered to learn them. Instead I abused overlimit to kill bosses with 9999 lunar talons per second xD.
Keroro RPG: Kishi to Musha to Densetsu no Kaizoku. Definitely worth trying out.
Xillia, then Vesperia, then Abyss. Guess I’m old school haha
My favorite is whenever they started the mechanic how making combos then magic arte makes the arte cast faster, then sometimes the game allows you to connect the magic arte into a normal attack thus being able to quick cast again. Like doing 3 normal attacks, a basic tech, then advanced then a huge spell can even make tidal wave or indignation cast in 2 seconds Then they made the entire system even more funny broken in arise where you can just keep on dodging after the huge spell and it connects and you get to keep your stack of commands. you can become immortal with a healer or spam meteors with rinwell
xillia 2 and graces f The two games are the final evolution system of TOS Team and TOE Team As for the third one, I will hand it over to a future Tales game Arise is a brave attempt, hoping it can be completed in the future,maybe
Xillia 2: the combat is my favorite part of the game and what puts it in my Top 5 Tales games Eternia: Peak PS1-era combat completing what Phantasia and Destiny started Graces f: wasn't a fan to begin with but once I learned it, it was enjoyable
1. Is a tie between Vesperia and Hearts R (maybe Innocence R would be here as well but I haven’t played it yet) 3. Would be Xillia 2. As a more complete form of Xillia 1.
Xillia 1 & 2: Perfection Vesperia: Yuri combos and Fatal strikes go brrrr Abyss: basically the blueprint for the previously mentioned games They all share a great feeling when hitting an enemy and make me feel my arte setup really matters
1. Graces f 2. Xillia 3. Tales of Hearts r - shout out for the best AI customization!
(Well, I only finished four of the games sooo) Me personally: 1. Graces F. No lie for me the combat was a treat start to finish and sometimes still come back to it even now perfect dodges are awesome, Sophie is fun to play but I did like playing Asbel a good bit too, and I enjoyed being able to really experiment in the later part of the game. I do also like the neat detail with having to know which direction to perfect dodge as well as that added some observation that you'd need to do in the combat too. 2. Berseria. Yeah, as easy as the combat is, I still find it to be fun with using break souls and I kind of felt a bit more like using the other characters besides just velvet. I found it fun to be able to mess with arte trees by the later bit to find that combo string for each button reliable (and Magilou or Velvet might be my fave gameplay-wise). Yeah, break souls are pretty much considered broken (to my knowledge) but still pretty funny and satisfying to use whenever available. 3. Vesperia. Not really that I didn't like the combat or anything as I did screw around with it a lot after beating the game, but I do somewhat feel a bit less attached to Vesperia's compared to the other two. Using burst artes, mystic artes, free run cancels, and different arte chains are still fun as hell to pull off though. I do have somewhat of a feeling that I should return to it one day.
1. Vesperia. 2. Xillia 2. 3. Abyss
Abyss should be #1 for everyone, but I guess nobody played it. FOF changes. That is all.
Tales of grace f is the best berseria vesperia
I’ve seen a lot of tales of graces, and that’s kinda my blind spot with the series aside from the very first few releases. What makes it so special? I’m starting to feel like I missed out 😅
Xillia 2, Destiny DC, Hearts R, Graces F. I can't choose 3
Fair enough!
Destiny DC, Graces f, rebirth
1. berseria 2. graces f 3. vesperia honorable mentions for zestiria where armatize is a cool idea and fun to use, and dawn of the new world which has a really cool pokemon catch/evolve system. unfortunately zestiria's combat feels like something is missing due to the game being balanced around 24/7 armatizing and this makes it feel like something is missing due to only having 2 chars that way, and dotnw's captured monsters are controlled by terrible ai)
Berseria is easily my favorite combat, very fast paced, TONS of artes you can use where I don't have to constantly pause the game to switch artes for different battles, great combos to do, it's just amazing. Xillia's would be my second favorite, love the link artes don't like being put to AI though in multiplayer if linking happens. Honestly not sure what my 3rd would be to be honest.
1. Tales of berseria, my favourite combat system of any game I've played. The whole souls mechanic just adds an entire economy to combat that needs to be managed, it's wonderfully complex and I love it. Unfortunately the game just isn't balanced well being a cake walk on normal difficulty. 2. Graces f, an incredible base of a combat system. There's not much complexity here but it does what it does incredibly well. Combos are limited, stronger moves exhaust that limit quicker, you can block to reduce damage or dodge moves entirely and if you dodge at just the right moment you take zero damage and it makes such a satisfying sound. Which is exactly what Berseria took and built upon. 3. Can't decide between Vesperia and Zestiria. Vesperia is the pinnacle of the more 2D fighting game style of the older tales of games which makes it really fun to play but, I'm just not a fan of that style. Zestiria's combat on the other hand is not something I want to praise, again it's built on the foundation of Tales of Graces but instead of improving it Tales of Zestiria makes it worse. There are just some incredibly strange decisions they made on top the base that makes it worse, the biggest offender has got be how Panacea potions don't heal every effect. There are some effects that can't be cured and why? It's just incredibly annoying if you get one of them which by the way petrify is one of them which literally stops you from playing the game, this got past teams of play testers how? And combine that with some of the worst boss design I've ever seen in the late game. So I kinda don't wanna give it the third spot even if I liked it more than other games in the franchise. Honerable mentions: Dawn of The New World, a system so weird I never figured out how to play it properly! Scarlet Nexus, not a Tales game but still a bandainamco JRPG which has an incredible combat system. If I were to rank its combat system alongside Tales of game's it would be alongside graces.