Are the Tales-games connected?

[Dais]

For the first time I'm actually very interested in a "Tales of"-game, mainly because I read that this one seems to be darker (storywise) than the previous ones. I never played any game from this series and I'm curious: is the story strongly connected to each game so you have to play the prequels or is it more like every game counts as a standalone with it's own story?

[Silly]

Most Tales games are standalone titles (much like Final Fantasy), but some have tiny connections to other entries in the franchise. Tales of Berseria is supposed to be a distant prequel to Zestiria (we're talking about thousands of years in between), so the only thing you won't get are some references.

[Sumea]

No. Usually tales of games are completely self contained. This means characters, the world, even universe (even if not expanded to that scale usually) is different in each game. Each game has very different kinds of worlds and how their society works etc. And battle system too, while always real time action based, is different from game to game after vesperia. I would argue Vesperia, Symphonia and the Abyss, while different are very similar.

Only direct difference is tales of Xillia 2 which is direct continuation on same universe and stuff as Xillia, and main character and other key characters for the story around him are completely new. Old cast of old game comes back but mostly as side characters to Xil2's protagonist while they have some scenes to expand on their characters - so even Xillia 2, semi-direct sequel is stand alone enough for someone new to be able to pick it up.

At most, berseria might be in same universe as Zestiria, but this is like, hundreds of years and changes type of thing. And I am just speculating this because of the similarity of one aspect in this game's universe and Zestiria, and Japanese terms for different things. So even Berseria is most likely 100% stand alone game too.

There is few trappings for the series that are kinda staples but those are small side things and so on.

More or less any tales game is good starting point.
There is currently problem with AI allies in this game's current version (hoping a official fix for this) - so do hold out if you are not willing to work around this problem. It is very important because a new player would of course rely on the AI pulling through so you are not getting bombarded while more veteran players for Tales games could take a while to notice it. (I did not even notice the problem before I read on it and watched videos for it and then tested it myself)

[Falshed]

the closest you'll get to another game is just small descriptions on items about it. or costumes(if it counts to you). but you'll only understand if you play the other games.

[76561198096040329]

Symphonia > Symphonia 2 > Phantasia in 4000 years
Berseria > Zestiria
Destiny > Destiny 2 (of course)
Xillia > Xillia 2 (no ♥♥♥♥ sherlock)
Hearts > Graces (?)

[Giro]

Originally posted by Mang Kanor:

Symphonia > Symphonia 2 > Phantasia in 4000 years
Berseria > Zestiria
Destiny > Destiny 2 (of course)
Xillia > Xillia 2 (no ♥♥♥♥ sherlock)
Hearts > Graces (?)

As far as I know, Graces and Hearts aren't in the same world

[Black Power...Ranger]

small issue it is actually symphonia > symphonia 2 > Berseria > Phantasia > Zestiria. Thats the major time line thats made out thus far even in Berseria they not multiple times from the book of Martel (sound familiar :) )

[Giro]

Originally posted by Black Power...Ranger:

small issue it is actually symphonia > symphonia 2 > Berseria > Phantasia > Zestiria. Thats the major time line thats made out thus far even in Berseria they not multiple times from the book of Martel (sound familiar :) )

1. This thread is almost 2 years old....
2. ^

3. Berseria and Zesteria are in completely different universes than Symphonia and Phantasia. The stuff you are referring to was just a nice treat for long time fans. It was not cannon, they do this in almost every tales game.

By that logic Berseria is in the same universe as all of the Tales games because they sail to Meiu island (Abyss), Armacian subcontinent (Graces, Teepo island (Xillia), etc.

[Giro]

Originally posted by Black Power...Ranger:

small issue it is actually symphonia > symphonia 2 > Berseria > Phantasia > Zestiria. Thats the major time line thats made out thus far even in Berseria they not multiple times from the book of Martel (sound familiar :) )

Symphonia and Phantasia also have no seraphs, hellions, nor empyreans, Berseria and Zestiria dont have a world tree, etc.

[Simon]

Originally posted by Black Power...Ranger:

small issue it is actually symphonia > symphonia 2 > Berseria > Phantasia > Zestiria. Thats the major time line thats made out thus far even in Berseria they not multiple times from the book of Martel (sound familiar :) )

Wrong. Plz don't confuse the Eizen's coin skit talking about Martel, Kharlan and Ragnarok as being the prove of Berseria is related to the Aselian timeline. That skit was just a cameo reference to older Tales games. Nothing more.

If you say Symphonia is related to Berseria, then all the other tales must also be related to Berseria. Afterall in Berseria, there is a mention about the Grune's Vase (Grune is a character from Tales of Legendia and her weapon is a vase). Also, there is also the mention of the Salehtoma plant. (Saleh and Toma are names of the villains in Tales of Rebirth.)
Not to mention all those different islands from the expedition map and the various item salvaged from the expedition.

All of them are only there for fanservice, as reference to older games. They are not canon to the actual world of Berseria and Zestiria.

[Critoniuum]

I know this is an old discussion line. But could Vesperia be in the Symphonia/Phantasia line? In Vesperia the 4 core summon spirits; Undine, Gnome, Sylph, and Efreet, are born as a major plot point. Could the world of Vesperia be the world that eventually suffered the Karlan War when Mithos split the world, setting up the events of Symphonia?

Another major plot point was converting Aer into Mana, the main driving magical energy in Symphonia.

[Mike]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.