DESCRIPTION

Tales of Destiny II follows Namco's earlier game, Tales of Destiny for the PlayStation. Since their days on the Super Famicom, the Tales games have gained a huge following in Japan and retained a consistent stylistic approach to gameplay and visuals. Like its predecessors, Tales of Destiny II is a sprite-based, 2D game that boasts a combat engine quite different from many of its peers.

The story of Tales of Destiny II involves a mysterious stranger who crash lands on our hero's planet and meets two young but brave travelers who become wrapped up in a life-or-death quest that will determine the fate of both of their home planets. The safety of the universe also hangs in the balance, of course. The 2D visual style of the game, which is occasionally blended with 3D special effects, is straight out of the pages of a Japanese manga, complete with the large eyes and multi-colored hair that one might expect from such a design motif.

The game's combat system, which takes place on a flat, two-dimensional plane much like a fighting game, is handled in real time. The player only controls one of up to four people in his or her party, but they have the opportunity to give other members of their party more specific demands. In addition to the normal poking, slashing and striking attacks, the combat system, dubbed the Linear Motion Battle, allows players to perform special attacks known as Craymel Artes, eventually combining these arts into new and more powerful attacks.

In addition to all of this, Tales of Destiny II, like its predecessors, also features a continuing sub-quest known as the tri-Ace cooking system. Players will occasionally encounter a mysterious master chef, who will give them a list of ingredients found all throughout the game world. Players must find these vital items, eventually combining them. The result is a food product that will give them some sort of special bonus, and help them inch closer to their mammoth goal of galactic salvation. ~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide