Review: Tales of Hearts R for Vita

Platform: PS Vita
Release Date: Out now
Developers: Namco Tales Studio
Publishers: Bandai Namco Games

Forget Silent Hill and Resident Evil for your horror fix. Let’s face it, there’s nothing more horrifying than a bad JRPG. These are games that can be terrifying before you’ve even pressed START. Slaying thousands of amorphous blobs just to level up a couple of times, puerile angsty characters with a hair-spray addiction and spending hundreds of hours desperately trying to get that rare drop you need are all the stuff of gamer nightmares. Even the most seasoned of JRPG aficionados knows the special kind of horror reserved for this genre. There’s a certain dread that comes from firing up a game and hoping upon hope that it won’t be yet another lacklustre Final Fantasy imitation with a misogynist attitude problem and voice acting that even Siri would be ashamed of.

Fortunately, Tales of Hearts R is none of these things. The latest release in the esteemed ‘Tales of’ series shows its pedigree. With a compelling – albeit initially uninspiring – storyline, dynamic characters and a dazzling combat system, this JRPG deserves a place on any Vita owner’s game shelf. Artistic direction is dazzling, from character designs to town architecture to a smoothly designed battle UI. Boasting an impressive 40+ hours of gameplay but also enough save-points to make this a viable travelling companion, the game will win its way into the hearts of seasoned JRPG veterans and newbies alike. Whilst it won’t be winning many awards for innovation, Tales of Hearts R is a solid example of the genre at its best.

The game follows initially grating protagonist Kor Meteor, a fiery but sheltered young man who is plunged into adventure when Kohaku Hearts, a mysterious girl pursued by a witch, washes up on the shore of his hometown. After a series of events causes Kohaku’s Spiria Core – the source of all her emotions – to shatter, Kor embarks on a mission to restore her to health. Accompanied by Kohaku’s brother, Hisui, and armed with a powerful weapon known as a Soma, the hero sets out on a quest to piece together a broken soul, and to learn more than a little about his own soul on the way.

The storyline is initially lacklustre. Romance between Kor and Kohaku feels forced and heavy-handed, and the tale of the rising young hero saving a girl’s soul is far from new.  However, a little perseverance sees the storyline gaining momentum and flourishing into a tale that, whilst not the most original, is compelling and genuinely involving. As the game progresses, a cast of characters who initially seem typecast and uninspiring reveal themselves to be fully fledged personalities with plenty of quirks. Any fan of the series will be pleased to know that skits – small conversations that can be triggered through the game – are still very much part of the ‘Tales of’ formula. There’s a sad and uncomfortable tendency for these to disintegrate into puerile dialogue, odd humour, or, worst of all, disappointing juvenile misogyny (unnecessary boob jokes). But for the most-part, the dialogues are well thought out and interesting. Some of the longer ones are even voiced.

The entire game is voiced in Japanese, with English subtitles. The decision to localise the game without an English dub may seem off-putting to the new player. However, to the JRPG connoisseur, the Japanese voice acting will come as a refreshing change from years of awkward and ham-fisted dub recording. The game boats an absolutely stellar cast including Hiroshi Kamiya (perhaps best known to UK anime fans as the voice of Levi from Attack on Titan), Tetsuya Kakihara (whose CV includes Fairy Tale’s Natsu and Yowamushi Pedal) and Marina Inoue (Attack on Titan, Psycho-Pass and Gurren Lagan). The voice-overs are generally well-acted, albeit with a tendency towards frequent yelling. The actors really bring these characters to life, and it’s a testament to the game’s venerable lineage and impressive budget that the acting isn’t just a sloppy afterthought.

Unfortunately the music isn’t much to celebrate. In a long game, music matters, and the score generally just feels forgettable, a shame considering the game’s otherwise great attention. There’s nothing bad enough to have you fumbling for the mute button or feeling compelled to throw your console across the room, but it’s still a long shot from the soaring emotional heights of, say, Final Fantasy X.

The battle system is where the game really comes into its own. The ‘Tales of’ battle dynamic has always been at the highest of the industry standard, and Tales of Hearts R is no exception. You won’t find turn-based combat here. The dynamic, active system allows you free-reign on the field and the ability to perform complex aerial combos. With plenty of special moves and opportunities to unleash extra destructive potential, combat is complex but enjoyable to master. Multiple special mechanics are introduced gradually, so you won’t feel overwhelmed or bored. Though you’ll only get control of one character, the AIs controlling your other party members are astoundingly responsive. Various AI commands can be acquired as you progress, allowing a level of tactical customisation that’ll please even the most pernickety strategist. You can also endlessly customise your own character by assigning skill points to their ‘Somas’ each time you level up. There’s the option to select pre-made development paths such as ‘fighter’, ‘caster’ and ‘balanced’, making it easy to spend as much or as little time as you want pondering over where exactly you should spend those points.

Tales of Hearts R isn’t a bold move in the genre. It sticks fairly within comfortable boundaries, with a world map, random encounters and storyline that is solid rather than dynamic or original. It isn’t without its faults, which may put off newcomers to the genre. But it’s well worth persevering through the initially mediocre storyline because things quickly get much better. Fans of JRPGs should definitely add this to their collection as a great portable addition to the ‘Tales of’ series, and newcomers will find it a great example of one of Western gaming’s most contentious genres.

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