Was this game really worth it?

[Blade]

I don't want to be cynical, I've come back to this game many times over the years but never stuck with it long enough to finish. It looks like I almost did and that game is shockingly short with a tedious fetch quest at the end to extend it. I've been trying to play for the gameplay but even that doesn't hold my interest long. It is a decent combat system and honestly the fusion concept I think is what keeps bringing me back to the game. That's actually really cool in my opinion but wasted kind of. The breaking point this time to set the game down was right after the war anime scene. I was running around fighting lizard men and birds developing my timing and combos when they started to become really smooth utilizing the blast guage to extend them and I was understanding how and when to use which moves. All of a sudden I enter another encounter like the 30 I grinded before it. It seemed routine at first but there were like 10 birds and two of us, they seemed to be buffed in attack speed and attack power senselessly. The fight lasted for 20 seconds and I lost so fast I didn't even have time to fuse or realize my HP was low and Mikleo was down. They grouped up and made it impossible for us to attack, there literally was nothing that could be done even if I fused because I never would have gotten an attack of before being interrupted. I put up my guard up to buy time to think but they tore through it in 2 seconds and before I could realize or pause, it was just over. It was like the game said "you're doing too well, let's make it so you can't use your character".

I really want to grind this out and finally complete Zestiria but seeing the fanbase put it as the worst Tales game is discouraging as well. Does anyone else feel this way about the game? Does it get better? Why is it so expensive on Steam if it's this bad and short? There's got to be something to this game and I'm just missing it.

[Uzkniso o.o]

Originally posted by Blade:

All of a sudden I enter another encounter like the 30 I grinded before it. It seemed routine at first but there were like 10 birds and two of us, they seemed to be buffed in attack speed and attack power senselessly. The fight lasted for 20 seconds and I lost so fast I didn't even have time to fuse or realize my HP was low and Mikleo was down. They grouped up and made it impossible for us to attack, there literally was nothing that could be done even if I fused because I never would have gotten an attack of before being interrupted. I put up my guard up to buy time to think but they tore through it in 2 seconds and before I could realize or pause, it was just over. It was like the game said "you're doing too well, let's make it so you can't use your character".

I think you entered a "dangerous encounter". You can link encounters in this game, infinitely. Meaning, if a lot of enemies bunch up nearby, you will enter such an encounter. Enemies gain extra stats and levels this way, but you get better drops and exp for beating them like that. Since you couldn't handle it, next time only lure a single enemy and run if there's at least 2.

Originally posted by Blade:

Does anyone else feel this way about the game?

Nah, but a lot of things should have been handled differently. For example, there should have been a point in the game where you choose if you want Alisha or Rose to accompany you. That way the game could have had 2 different endings and a reason to be played twice. And that's just one of such downsides. Maybe in one of those routes Dezel could have survived, even.

Originally posted by Blade:

Does it get better?

To make the battles easy you need good gear or lots of herb farming. But it's only smart to farm herbs at endgame, where all areas that spawn the red ones are unlocked. So it won't get better if you aren't going to create your own playstyle/build. Or just play on low difficulty.

Originally posted by Blade:

Why is it so expensive on Steam if it's this bad and short?

Doesn't feel short to me. I will likely reach 700 hours on this game, surpassing Berseria lmao. That being said, it goes on sale often @75% off.

[Blade]

It would have told me if it was a dangerous encounter. There was only one bird on the entire map, it was the last enemy I wanted to kill before moving on. So there was no reason for it to be impossible. That does answer my question though and matches up with what people are saying. Unless you're hardcore into the combat and challenging it at the highest levels or invested with a lot of playtime it's hard to keep interested. The story is bland and short, the characters are cheesy, combat is all right but discouraged with enemies that get too strong while there are hardly any fights between them to level or practice with. The entire game is you running across empty fields with nothing to see. It's just... empty and boring. Then there are the random unwinnable encounters to make you go back and do it all again before you can realize you're overpowered and flee. You're opinion differs from a lot of what I've seen people saying. Which is fine, I'm not bashing it, I just don't enjoy this one and it just lost my interest completely again sadly. lol I appreciate the feedback though, one day I'll finish it.

[Simon]

If Zestiria is not your cup of tea, maybe you can try out Berseria. It takes place 1000 years ago before Zestiria, but improved combat and story. Maybe you can appreciate Zestiria more later on due its little details that ties with Berseria, even though I acknowledge that the Zestiria is very flawed.

Or if you want a brand new adventure, then I recommend Tales of Arise. Symphonia & Vesperia are also solid picks, but maybe they will feel slightly dated.

[Uzkniso o.o]

Originally posted by Blade:

The entire game is you running across empty fields with nothing to see.

1. You just described every jrpg that was ever made.
2. There is stuff to do: leveling up while killing new enemies, collect treasures/herbs/discovery points in the new area, fight the area boss etc.

Originally posted by Blade:

Then there are the random unwinnable encounters to make you go back and do it all again

I don't really understand what happened there, then. There's no such thing as you are describing. That being said, what happens, after every random battle in this game, is SC is getting reduced from 100 to 0. So maybe you fought at very low SC, but that's still not that big of an issue. No idea what's going on lol.

[Simon]

Originally posted by Uzkniso o.o:

Originally posted by Blade:

Then there are the random unwinnable encounters to make you go back and do it all again

I don't really understand what happened there, then.

Maybe he is referring to the mutant hellions? There is often a boss-looking monsters in the map, and it will be on a much higher level than you if you encounter it first time. They are meant for you to come back and defeat them later once you level up a little more. Always do a Quick Save before you bump into it. Im not if you can run away from the battle, but I think you probably can just like with normal enemies

[Uzkniso o.o]

Originally posted by Simon:

Maybe he is referring to the mutant hellions? There is often a boss-looking monsters in the map, and it will be on a much higher level than you if you encounter it first time. They are meant for you to come back and defeat them later once you level up a little more. Always do a Quick Save before you bump into it. Im not if you can run away from the battle, but I think you probably can just like with normal enemies

I know about them, but that's not what he described. Oh well.

[Marcvs Antonivs]

I think it has too many technical and gameplay problems to be worth it. I managed to circumvent some of them, but they're still there and bug me still. I still feel like 75% of the time I was going from place A to place B. This is really the worst Tales of by far.