DESCRIPTION

Embark on an epic adventure of friendship, fighting, choices, and consequences. Console role-players face a new game with a familiar feel, in this first 128-bit generation release in Namco's "Tales" series. The original "Tales" game earned a following in Japan, on the Super Famicom, before the series gained more worldwide popularity on the PlayStation with Tales of Destiny and its sequel. In 2004, the distinct, console-style RPG series returns to a Nintendo console, in the GameCube's Tales of Symphonia.

As in the earlier games, Tales of Symphonia features a fairly conventional RPG adventure, through a large game world full of busy towns, monster-ridden wilderness areas, and deep, puzzling dungeons. It is most unlike its RPG peers in its combat system, which is set up more like a real-time fighting game than a traditional, turn-based, tactical battle. Players stand against their enemies on a single plane, moving back and forth to defend themselves, attack, and use special items and magic.

The Tales of Symphonia are the tales of Lloyd Irving and his best friend, Collete Brunel. They are fairly normal kids, except for one important distinction: Collete is a shaman. She could become a savior angel, with powers that could relieve their world of so much pain and sorrow. She must embark on a journey to realize this potential, however, and Lloyd accompanies her. Their travels are filled with growth and discovery, and they learn of a greater balance to the universe. They must decide if they will save their homeland, as they had first intended, or honor the higher order of existence they're beginning to understand. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide