Tales of Hearts
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| Tales of Hearts テイルズオブハーツ (Teiruzu obu Haatsu) | |
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| Information | |
| Japan Release | December 18, 2008 |
| Game System | Nintendo DS |
| Battle System | Combination Aerial Linear Motion Battle System |
| Modes | Single player, multiplayer cooperative |
| Theme Song(s) | Eien no Ashita by Deen |
| Ratings | Cero:B |
Tales of Hearts is the eleventh mothership title in the Tales series exclusively for the Nintendo DS, which was released on December 18, 2008 in Japan. Tales of Hearts' characteristic genre name is To Meet With Hearts RPG (心と出会うRPG Kokoro to deau RPG?). The producer is Hideo Baba, the director is Kazuhisa Oomi, the Scenario Writer is Naoki Yamamoto, and series veterans Mutsumi Inomata and Motoi Sakuraba are the characters' designer and composer respectively. The game uses 2D sprites, 3D backgrounds, and is the first entry in the series to use CG for the characters in event movies. The theme song, "Eien no Ashita" (永遠の明日? "Eternal Tomorrow") is performed by Deen, who previously performed Tales of Destiny's theme song. The game's released in two versions: one using the animation produced by Production I.G., and the other using the CG produced by Shirogumi.
Contents |
[edit] Gameplay
Out of battle, Tales of Hearts has similar gameplay to other titles in the series. The player visits various towns throughout the game, in which they can talk to various NPCs, buy items, and progress the story. The player also goes to dungeons, which contain various enemies, treasures, and puzzles, in which the Sorcerer's Ring, a recurring item in the series, may play a part in solving. After battles, the player acquires gald to buy various things, and experience points, which goes toward leveling up the party. When traveling between towns and dungeons, the player travels through the field map, which contains no enemies. While on the field map the player may go through "field dungeons", which do contain enemies. In both dungeons and field dungeons, enemies are visible, and can be engaged in battle when touched.
[edit] Battle system
Tales of Hearts uses the "Combination Aerial Linear Motion Battle System", or CNAR-LMBS. Like previous games in the series, Tales of Hearts uses 2D sprites, with combat taking place on a single two-dimensional line, and is completely real-time, with the player controlling one person and the others being controlled by A.I. if another person is not controlling them. Similar to Tales of the Tempest and Tales of Innocence, only three party members are on the battlefield, but the game allows the player to let party members not currently in battle participate through a Connect Command, along with using aerial combat that was first introduced in the "Aerial Linear Motion Battle System" (AR-LMBS) of Tales of Destiny.
Instead of TP seen in other entries of the series, all party members have an "Emotional Gauge", or "EG". It is based on the CC system of Tales of Destiny, in that the player is free to create any chain of attacks, skills, or spells until the meter is depleted, and the meter automatically refills when finishing the chain of moves.
Every party member also has a "Combination Gauge", or CG. Through any kind of actions, like skills, jumps, backsteps or even basic attacks, the gauge is increased. This gauge is consumed when the player calls a non-battle party member to battle to perform one of that character's attacks, or commands a battle party to do a move, this is called a "Connect Command". The player is also able to use unison attacks, by using a certain skill with the currently-controlled character and having another party member use another certain attack. The player also has the option of calling in characters from previous games in the series to use an attack, such as Guy, Anise and Jade from Tales of the Abyss, Lloyd from Tales of Symphonia and Judas from Tales of Destiny 2, and even characters from other Namco products, such as Yayoi Takatsuki from The Idolmaster and KOS-MOS from Xenosaga.
There are also nine attributes: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, Dark, Slash, Strike, and Shoot. Through attacking these weak points, damage, hit ratio, and the critical ratio will increase.
[edit] Customization
Customization in the game is handled through the "Soma Build" system, through which the player upgrades the Soma (weapons) of the party and control their growth. The player can use raw materials found throughout the game to learn various abilities, or "Soma Skills" (of which there are four types: Parameter, Battle, Action, and Support), or to add various stat bonuses to a character.
When Soma Build is performed on a weapon enough times, the weapon can go through a process called "Soma Evolve", in which the Soma will take on a new form and name, and unlock new Soma Skills and stat bonuses.
[edit] Soma Link
Throughout the game there are various events in which the player can choose different options towards another character, called a "Soma Link". Through certain choices it will cause the outcomes of scenes to change, and the character may gain points towards their "Soma Link Value". Once it becomes high enough, the character can learn various skills.
[edit] Spir Link and Spir Maze
By using Soma, the party can go into one's heart, called a "Spir Link". The person's mind is like a labyrinth, called a "Spir Maze", a place with various rare items and other things to find. There are chances to go into these during both the main scenario and with NPCs throughout the game, and it is possible to use multiplayer in them as well.
[edit] Recovery Stones
Recovery Stones (治癒石 Chiyu Ishi?) replaces the common cooking system of the series. The recovery stone can be set to be used at various times during battle to recover HP, or for other effects. When the stone is used it consumes "Heal Energy", which can be recharged at a recovery stone shop, or in dungeons. At the shops the player can also pay to increase the number of effects that can be set to the stone, increase the amount of heal energy, or buy more effects that the recovery stone can use.
[edit] Accessories
By going to accessory shops, the player can make different accessories through materials found throughout the game, all with different effects or benefits. Accessories can also be reverted back into the materials used to create it for other uses.
[edit] Plot
[edit] Story
Because of the great empire ruling over the whole continent, the people are in complete peace. They pass down fairy-tales such as The Sleeping Princess of the Thorny Forest, The Monsters that Eat Dreams, and The Eventual Fading of the Black Moon. Though recently a disease that contaminates the heart called Despil Disease (デスピル病 Desupiru Byou?) has begun to spread.
Then the Zerom (ゼロム Zeromu?), the monster from the fairy-tales that eats dreams is shown to exist, and they are beginning to eat into a person's heart, referred to as Spiria (スピリア Supiria?) within the world. To be able to fight the Zerom, the humans' Spiria has created mysterious labyrinths in their hearts, known as Spir Mazes (スピルメイズ Supiru Meizu?). Only with equipment known as "Soma" (ソーマ Sōma?) can people go into these Spir Mazes.
The plot follows a young village boy known as Shing Meteoryte, and his adventure after rescuing a young woman and her brother named Kohak and Hisui Hearts on the beach.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Player Characters
Shing Meteoryte (シング・メテオライト Shingu Meteoraito?)
Japanese voice: Tetsuya Kakihara
Age: 16
Height: 167cm
Weight: 54kg
A boy with an unusually strong curiosity for the world, Shing lives with his grandfather Zeks in the town of Seeble. He inherited the ability to use Soma from his grandfather and mother, but he hides this fact from them. Because of his curiosity and personal inexperience, he lacks delicacy in his speech and conduct. He notices his mistakes, and is able to properly reflect upon them. He was given the Soma "Asteria" (アステリア asuteria?) by his grandfather, passed down by their ancestors. His last name is based on meteorites, stone or metallic objects from space.
Kohak Hearts (コハク・ハーツ Kohaku Hātsu?)
Japanese Voice: Marina Inoue
Age: 17
Height: 158 cm
Weight: 45 kg
A girl setting off from her home town for a certain reason, she is in need of Soma. Shing found her collapsed on the beach with her older brother. She sometimes refers to a being known as "her." She is the owner of the Soma "Elrond" (エルロンド erurondo?). Her name is romanized as "kohaku" (琥珀 Kohaku?), which in Japanese means "amber", an organic gemstone.
Hisui Hearts (ヒスイ・ハーツ Hisui Hātsu?)
Japanese voice: Masaya Matsukaze
Age: 18
Height: 184 cm
Weight: 70 kg
Kohak's older brother. He was found collapsed by Shing on the beach together with Kohak. Because he lost a relative when he was young, he has a strong sense to excessively try to protect his younger sister. He has a rough outward appearance and acts cool, but inside he has a stubborn heart and is hot-headed. He possesses the Soma "Gale Arc" (ゲイルアーク Geiruāku?). In Japanese his name means "jade", a mineral gemstone.
Innes Lorenz (イネス・ローレンツ Inesu Rōrentsu?)
Japanese voice: Shizuka Itō
Age: 24
Height: 168 cm
Weight: 54 kg (Her claim)
A woman outside the norm with superhuman strength and a glamorous body. She is the manager of the transport shop "Every Day is a Peaceful Day" and is the sole employee of it as well. She gently smiles, though with no breaks in her speech and conduct. The Hearts siblings ask her for Soma, which for some reason she is handling. She possesses the Soma named "Folseus" (フォルセウス Foruseusu?). Her name is based on the mineral lorenzenite.
Beryl Benito (ベリル・ベニト Beriru Benito?)
Japanese voice: Saeko Chiba
Age: 18
Height: 148 cm (she claims it's 155, but requests that it be rounded up to 160)
Weight: 38 kg
A complex girl with a childish face and a short height, that basically ran away from her hometown in order to become the court painter. She has no aims and is indecisive, making her an uncooperative child. She possesses the Soma named "Thiers" (ティエール Tiēru?). She is named after the minerals beryl and benitoite.
Kunzite (クンツァイト Kuntsaito?)
Japanese voice: Hozumi Gōda
Age: Over 2000 years old
Height: 193 cm
Weight: 77 kg (without armor)
A machine with a heart, he is a mechanical guardian knight that was operating more than 2000 years ago. Created to protect someone, he has a heartless-looking face and doesn't choose any means to reach that goal. He possesses the Soma "Vex" (ヴェックス Vekkusu?). He is named after the gemstone kunzite.
[edit] Non-Playable Characters
Chalcedny Arcome (カルセドニー・アーカム Karusedonī Ākamu?)
Japanese voice: Hiroshi Kamiya
Age: 16
Height: 162 cm
Weight: 48 kg
The commanding officer of the thirteenth unit of the Crystal Knights, a force organized by the Baraya faith. His Soma,"Wahrheit" (バルハイト Baruhaito?), is in the form of a sword and armor and gives him the ability to fly. He respects those that are just and fair, and hates cowardly acts. His name is based on chalcedony, a mineral.
Richea Spodune (リチア・スポデューン Richia Supodūn?)
Japanese Voice: Kaori Shimizu
Age: Over 2000 years
Height: 149cm
Weight: 71Kg
A Quart (結晶人/クォート Kuōto?), she is a woman with emerald green hair and appears similar to the sleeping princess of the fairy tales. She appears fickle, but she has a strong will and won't change her mind once she's made a decision.
Peridot Hamilton (ペリドット・ハミルトン Peridotto Hamiruton?)
Byrocks Burrows (バイロクス・バロウズ Bairokusu Barouzu?)
Paraiba Marine de Rais (パライバ・マリン・ド・レ Paraiba Marin Do Re?)
Japanese voice: Mamiko Noto
Aizak Silva (アイザック・シルバ Aizakku Siruba?)
[edit] Antagonists
Creed Graphite (クリード・グラファイト Kurīdo Gurafaito?)
Japanese voice: Shinichiro Miki
Croaseraph (クロアセラフ Kuroaserafu?)
Japanese voice: Kouji Yusa
Incarose (インカローズ Inkarōzu?)
Japanese voice: Junko Minagawa
Zio Strigau (ジオ・ストリーガウ Jio Storīgau?)
Crinoseraph (クリノセラフ Kurinoserafu?)
[edit] Other Characters
Flora Spodune (フローラ・スポデューン Furōra Supodūn?)
Richea’s older sister.
Labrado Acorme (ラブラド・アーカム Raburado Ākamu?)
[edit] Development
Tales of Hearts was officially revealed in V-Jump Magazine, alongside Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 2. It was later shown at the 2008 Fiscal Year presentation for the series, where it was announced that it was the first game in the series for the DS that would be developed by Namco Tales Studio, to use both anime or CG for movie scenes, and that Deen would be the one to create the theme song for the game, though it was currently unknown if the movie scenes would be on two separate cartridges[1]. It was eventually announced that the anime and CG movies would be released in two separate editions, and would release on the same date.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag It was revealed that the preordered Anime Edition would include a Chat Drama DVD, while those who preordered the CG edition would receive a Visual and Original Soundtrack DVD, both DVDs also containing the first unveiling of the promotion video for the next mothership entry in the series, and information on a new project by Bandai Namco Games. On November 20, 2008, it was announced that the game's release would be delayed a week to December 18, 2008.
[edit] Audio
The music of Tales of Hearts was composed by Motoi Sakuraba, a regular composer for the series. The Tales of Hearts Original Soundtrack was released on two compact discs by BMG Japan in 2008. The theme song of the game, "Eien no Ashita", performed by Deen (who also sung "Yume de Aru Yō ni" of Tales of Destiny) was released as a single by BMG Japan in 2008.
[edit] External links
- Official site
- Official Developer's Blog
- Namco Tales Studio official site
- Tales of Hearts at IGN
- Tales of Hearts at Giant Bomb
