Tales of Vesperia - Xbox 360

The Tales games form a long running series of Role Playing games that began with Tales of Phantasia in 1995 on the PlayStation and Super Nintendo. Since then there have been a further eight titles, and Tales of Vesperia joins the series as the tenth game and the first one on Xbox 360, and many people believe it to be the best one yet. Not because it is the first Tales game with high definition graphics and Dolby stereo sound. But the graphics in Vesperia are so detailed, and the environments so immersive that it's almost like playing a cartoon.

The Tales games concentrate more on the combat aspect of role playing, and Tales of Vesperia features the latest incarnation of their real time battle system, making this the most dynamic RPG yet seen. Unlike many RPGs which feature random battles, which many fans find frustrating, Vesperia mostly puts the player in control of when they fight.

Because combat is in real time, rather than turn-based, battles are less about strategy and more about knowing your fighter's moves, and using combos and special attacks effectively. Characters level up as the game progresses, of course, and staying aware of their new skills is vital to continuing success. With up to four members in your party at any one time, that gives users plenty to concentrate on, but you can pre-configure your party's strategy before battle commences.

Tales of Vesperia features new characters designed by renowned manga artist Kosuke Fujishima, who is famous for the series Ah! My Goddess, and the soundtrack and sound effects are both superb, adding to the realism of the game. more