Tales of Eternia
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese PlayStation action role-playing
video game released by Namco
on November 30, 2000, selling 873,000 copies and later ported to the PlayStation Portable
on March 3, 2005, selling 398,000 copies. Tales of Eternia's characteristic genre name is . Eternia is a 2D anime-style RPG with an original real-time battle system taken from its predecessors, Tales of Phantasia
and Tales of Destiny
. It is the third "Mothership Title" of the Tales RPG series; the Linear Motion Battle System, as well as various other aspects from previous Tales titles, still feature prominently.
Its North American release was titled Tales of Destiny II to avoid trademark infringement on the name Eternia, owned by Mattel
in North America for the Masters of the Universe
toyline. The naming choice later caused some confusion after the release of the PlayStation 2
game known as Tales of Destiny 2
, a genuine sequel to Tales of Destiny taking place in the same fictional world. Tales of Eternia is not directly related to Tales of Destiny, except for a few brief character cameos
that are typical of all Tales series games after Tales of Phantasia.
Both the North American and Japanese releases of the game feature an anime
introductory video; the Japanese version has an accompanying song called flying by Garnet Crow
. The game inspired Tales of Eternia, a 13 episode anime series co-produced by Production I.G, which is loosely based on the game. The series focuses on the four main characters while introducing a few new faces in a subplot unrelated to the game's actual plot. All 13 episodes of the series were animated in early 2001.
, are valuable sources of plot progression and background information. Additionally, city merchants will exchange Gald, the in-game currency, for items or equipment that can be vital to completing the game. Random encounter-based combat is resolved on the battle screen using the Linear Motion Battle System, a hybrid that combines fighting game and traditional role-playing game elements. The menu screen is where the player organizes and uses items, creates new magic spells, develops battle strategies, changes character equipment, and views character statistics. Selected features from the menu screen, such as item use and AI
settings, are also available in battle. The player can also learn recipes throughout the game, using them to cook status-enhancing or healing food out of combat.
Tales of Eternia carries on the tradition of the Linear Motion Battle System (LMBS), a system that is somewhat similar to a 2D fighting game. Commands are entered in real time, and both allies and enemies act out their orders in real time in the 2D plane. Normal attacks and special techniques are usually executed instantly, but spells have a chanting time that increases with the complexity of the spell. Unlike the previous two games in the series, Tales of Eternia executes spells in real time, probably due to the increased graphical capabilities of the PlayStation console. Therefore, spells no longer act as interrupts that freeze time, so spell effects can be dodged and evaded if the player is skilled enough, adding another dimension to the gameplay. The only partial exceptions are Greater Craymel Artes, which still freeze the initiation phase but finishes off in realtime. Future games in the series would choose to retain the real-time chanting and casting system for spells.
Battle strategy options, such as individual character commands (AI behavior) and party orders, have been slightly expanded, but their functionality remains essentially intact. Much like its predecessors, Tales of Eternia gives the player a large degree of control over computer-controlled allies and the techniques they use. Since the player only directly controls one character at a time, all other characters are governed by the general rules of AI behavior set by the player before and during battle. During battle, the player can switch which character he or she is controlling, while issuing specific orders to other allies to execute certain techniques on command. However, totally controlling all of the characters' actions throughout a battle requires a large amount of micromanagement
, and most players end up delegating control of allies to the AI during normal encounters. During important and difficult boss
battles, the player may choose to take direct control and issue more forceful commands in order to keep the party alive and functioning at maximum efficiency.
Reid continues on to Inferia City, the global capital. The group asks the King of Inferia for help, but Reid is accused of spreading fear and confusion throughout the land; the punishment is a death sentence. The princess wants to know more about what Reid has to say, so the group is released. Reid explains the situation, and the leaders of Inferia hold an organizational conference. The Inferians announce they will uncover the Bridge of Light and stop the Celestians from executing the Grand Fall by taking aggressive military action. Reid is aided by Efreet, Undine and Sylph; the group is led by Rem to the Bridge of Light, which resides atop the highest mountain in Inferia. After climbing the mountain, Reid locates the Bridge of Light in its stone sanctum. Reid's group is confronted by Ras, who tells them that his real name is Rassius Luine, a senior knight loyal to the Kingdom of Inferia. Ras loses to Reid in combat, and watches the group escapes via the Bridge of Light to Celestia as Inferian reinforcements arrive.
Upon arrival in Celestia, Reid is greeted by the citizens of Imen, Meredy's hometown. Reid travels by rail to the ruined city Luishka; a professor there examines Reid's body as he houses an unknown fibrill, or magical energy. Reid discovers the Greater Craymel Gnome in a nearby cave, and the group enlists his help. Reid stumbles upon Chat's hut, and the party is accepted into her crew after a series of puzzle-based tests; the group now has access to the sea-based form of transportation. Using the Van Eltia, Reid reaches Peruti, the frozen town near the dominion of Greater Craymel Celsius. Reid climbs the nearby mountain and helps Celsius regain her sanity, saving Peruti. Reid's group is invited by Max to join the Shileska liberation army in order to stop Balir, the cause of the Grand Fall; however, Meredy senses pain and suffering from Imen, so Reid decides to return there first. When the party reaches Imen, the city is in ruins with the majority of its citizens killed.
At the technologically advanced city of Tinnsia, Reid meets with Ayla and Max, the leader of the Shileska liberation army; Max joins the party. After finding the Greater Craymel Volt trapped in a machine at the Ruins of Volt, Reid frees him and receives his power. Using the Craymel Cannon combined with the support of Shileska, the group manages to break through the fleet loyal to Balir. Infiltration of Balir's Castle leads to Shizel, the ex-Queen, who is ruling in place of Balir; Reid is forced to retreat due to the powerful Dark Aurora Arte of Shizel. After improving the Van Eltia and enlisting the help of Greater Craymel Shadow, Reid is given the Divine Aurora Arte by Seyfert, the god who created Eternia. Seyfert wishes to preserve his creation, while Nereid desires the destruction of both planets; only Reid's Divine Aurora Arte can defeat the Dark Aurora Arte given to Shizel by Nereid.
The group is now free to travel between the two planets via the Orbus Barrier using the Van Eltia. Reid recruits the Greater Craymel Rem at Regulus Knoll in preparation for the final confrontation at Shizel's Castle. Both Shizel and Nereid are defeated by Reid, who uses his Aurora Arte to counter that of Shizel. However, the Grand Fall continues on unabated despite the banishment of Nereid. Reid's group is forced destroy the Seyfert Ring, which forcefully connects Inferia and Celestia, using the combined power of the two Aurora Artes; this action stops the Grand Fall, but the two worlds drift apart and the party is split. Despite the separation, Chat's modified Van Eltia can fly from Inferia to Celestia, reuniting Reid with his allies.
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 137 lbs
Origin: Inferia
Class: Hunter
Japanese Voice: Akira Ishida
English Voice: Kevin Miller, Sam Riegel
(Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology)
Reid is the red-haired protagonist of Tales of Eternia who wields a wide variety of melee weaponry, including swords, axes, and halberds. His main strength is his vast array of powerful close-combat special techniques that utilize his high physical power; Reid's high HP and defense statistics also help him survive close-quarters combat. Reid and Farah have known each other since childhood, growing up in the same small village, Rasheans, and have become close. Reid cannot use magic, but he has the special ability to use Fibril, the so-called "Power of the Gods", to execute some unique and powerful techniques late in the game.
Age: 17
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 101 lbs
Origin: Inferia
Class: Farmer
Japanese Voice: Yuko Minaguchi
Farah is a hardheaded farm girl from the same village as Reid, Rasheans, and they are almost always together as childhood friends. Throughout the game, a light romantic relationship is implied between Reid and Farah; however, nothing substantial develops. Farah uses her martial arts prowess to inflict hand-to-hand damage on her enemies through punches and kicks and can link many of her special attacks into each other, and she also has a narrow selection of healing chi. Farah's weapons are knuckles that augment the strength of her physical blows, and she plays more of a supporting role than Reid both in and out of battle.
Age: 17
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 112 lbs
Origin: Inferia
Class: Mintche University Light Craymel Graduate
Japanese Voice: Soichiro Hoshi
Keele is a scholarly researcher who spends his time at Mintche University investigating Craymels and their applications. Keele has the ability to cast offensive magic and summon based on what Greater Craymels are assigned to him. Although he has a few innate spells that are gained automatically, the vast majority of Keele's spells must be gained through Greater Craymel assignment and fringing (combination) to develop new techniques. Therefore, both Keele and Meredy are highly customizable, but assignment of Greater Craymels among them is a zero-sum game, so a balanced selection of spells is optimal. Keele fights with staves and maces, but his physical attacks are unimpressive.
Age: 16
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 99 lbs
Origin: Celestia
Class: Craymel Engineer
Japanese Voice: Omi Minami
Hailing from Celestia and speaking a language alien to the Inferians, Melnics, Meredy is never without her companion Quickie. Meredy's home is Imen, the city of Craymels, in Celestia. Meredy has the same Greater Craymel options as Keele, including fringing, offensive spellcasting, and summoning. Like Keele, Meredy has a handful of innate offensive spells. Meredy uses whistles to command Quickie and attack from long range; she can obtain a special item late in the game to control him more accurately while defending or casting a spell, increasing her power as a stand-alone character.
Age: 12
Origin: Celestia
Class: Pirate
Japanese Voice: Junko Noda
Descended from a famous pirate, Aifread, Chat styles herself an oddball pirate who is the captain of an impressive ship, the Van Eltia, but she has no crew. Before meeting Reid in the course of the story, Chat lived in relative isolation and avoided contact with others. Also she is often called a boy when she is a girl. A unique and specialized character, Chat has the ability to steal from enemies; her weapons are handbags. She can perform a counterattack against enemies if she defends against their attacks with the right timing.
Age: 38
Origin: Celestia
Class: Gunner
Japanese Voice: Masashi Ebara
The leader of the resistance group, Shileska, which is aligned against the de facto
Celestian government; Shileska is headquartered in the Celestian city of Tinnsia. Max wields high-powered energy guns as a ranged attacker.
Age: 25
Origin: Inferia
Class: Merchant
Japanese Voice: Hiroshi Isobe
Ras originally appears to be on the party's side and serves as a playable character temporarily, but his true intentions as a Senior Knight of Inferia are eventually made clear. Ras is an agile swordsman who uses sabers in quick attacks and techniques. Despite his calm demeanor, Ras eventually becomes an adversary, opposing Reid's goal of traveling to Celestia and stopping the Grand Fall. Ras continued to meet up with the group, as he was following the Seyfert Key, which leads you to what Seyfert, the God of Creation, wants you to do for him. Ras believed that this meant that he must fight them, but during the fight he begins to realize (he was holding back during the fight) that perhaps Seyfert wanted him to join their quest, rather than to interfere with it. Ras has the same special powers as Reid regarding manipulation of the Fibril; this is another parallel with Reid, as they also share a common weapon and some sword techniques. As portrayed in the game, Reid is not on good terms with Rassius; the two often compete, with Reid shown as jealous towards Ras's relationship with Farah, as she shows a certain affection towards him.
Greater Craymels
The Primary Craymels of Inferia:
The Governing Craymel of Inferia:
The Supreme Craymel of Inferia:
The Primary Craymels of Celestia:
The Governing Craymel of Celestia:
The Supreme Craymel of Celestia:
and Shinji Tamura, and the OST was released in Japan on March 16, 2001 by Marvelous Entertainment on two Compact Disc
s.
. Multimedia website IGN appreciated the gameplay, citing "a great action-oriented battle system that has no close equivalent in any other game". The GameSpot reviewer, Brad Shoemaker, stated that "Tales of Destiny II [Tales of Eternia] would not be out of place on the Super Nintendo about eight years ago" regarding graphics; however, Doug Erickson of Gaming Age claimed that spell effects made up for this, with "boss encounters border on eye-flaying, with screen-filling alpha-loaded spells firing off every few seconds". Namco's localization effort was generally seen as sufficient, with the humor of the script translated to the North American audience, but reviewers found the game's voice acting to be deficient and unremarkable. Tales of Eternia generated enough popularity in Japan to support a thirteen episode anime series, which was run on television in 2001. Additionally, the game warranted a PSP re-release in Japan and the PAL territories.
on 6 July 2002 for North American distribution, but the company's license expired when it failed to release the series. Consequently, the series is currently unlicensed and available only through import. The plot of the anime series is completely unrelated to the story of the original game; common elements include the four main characters, Greater Craymels, and spells.
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
video game released by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
on November 30, 2000, selling 873,000 copies and later ported to the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
on March 3, 2005, selling 398,000 copies. Tales of Eternia's characteristic genre name is . Eternia is a 2D anime-style RPG with an original real-time battle system taken from its predecessors, Tales of Phantasia
Tales of Phantasia
is a Super Nintendo game in the RPG genre published by Namco and released in Japan in 1995, selling 212,000 copies. It is the first mothership title in the Tales RPG series and was later remade/re-released on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and PlayStation Portable...
and Tales of Destiny
Tales of Destiny
is a video game in the RPG genre published for the PlayStation console by Namco on December 23, 1997 in Japan, selling 1,139,000 copies. Tales of Destiny's characteristic genre name is...
. It is the third "Mothership Title" of the Tales RPG series; the Linear Motion Battle System, as well as various other aspects from previous Tales titles, still feature prominently.
Its North American release was titled Tales of Destiny II to avoid trademark infringement on the name Eternia, owned by Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
in North America for the Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe is a media franchise created by Mattel....
toyline. The naming choice later caused some confusion after the release of the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
game known as Tales of Destiny 2
Tales of Destiny 2
is the fourth mothership title in Namco's popular Tales RPG series, a true sequel to Tales of Destiny that takes place in the same fictional world...
, a genuine sequel to Tales of Destiny taking place in the same fictional world. Tales of Eternia is not directly related to Tales of Destiny, except for a few brief character cameos
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
that are typical of all Tales series games after Tales of Phantasia.
Both the North American and Japanese releases of the game feature an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
introductory video; the Japanese version has an accompanying song called flying by Garnet Crow
GARNET CROW
Garnet Crow is a Japanese pop/rock band formed in 1999 and associated with the Giza Studio record label. Members include Yuri Nakamura, Hitoshi Okamoto, Nana Azuki, and Hirohito Furui, with Nakamura leading on vocals...
. The game inspired Tales of Eternia, a 13 episode anime series co-produced by Production I.G, which is loosely based on the game. The series focuses on the four main characters while introducing a few new faces in a subplot unrelated to the game's actual plot. All 13 episodes of the series were animated in early 2001.
Gameplay
Following the precedent set by previous Tales games and the JRPG genre in general, Tales of Eternia has four major game modes: the 3D world map, 2D town/dungeon maps, the battle screen, and the menu screen. The overworld map is used to navigate from one location to another in the game's fictional world; the individual locations on the overwold map are represented with 2D backgrounds and sprites. Cities and towns, which are extensively populated with NPCsNon-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
, are valuable sources of plot progression and background information. Additionally, city merchants will exchange Gald, the in-game currency, for items or equipment that can be vital to completing the game. Random encounter-based combat is resolved on the battle screen using the Linear Motion Battle System, a hybrid that combines fighting game and traditional role-playing game elements. The menu screen is where the player organizes and uses items, creates new magic spells, develops battle strategies, changes character equipment, and views character statistics. Selected features from the menu screen, such as item use and AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
settings, are also available in battle. The player can also learn recipes throughout the game, using them to cook status-enhancing or healing food out of combat.
Battle system
Battle strategy options, such as individual character commands (AI behavior) and party orders, have been slightly expanded, but their functionality remains essentially intact. Much like its predecessors, Tales of Eternia gives the player a large degree of control over computer-controlled allies and the techniques they use. Since the player only directly controls one character at a time, all other characters are governed by the general rules of AI behavior set by the player before and during battle. During battle, the player can switch which character he or she is controlling, while issuing specific orders to other allies to execute certain techniques on command. However, totally controlling all of the characters' actions throughout a battle requires a large amount of micromanagement
Micromanagement (computer gaming)
In gaming, micromanagement describes minor, detailed gameplay elements that must be manually addressed by the player. It appears in a wide range of games including strategy video games, construction and management simulations and pet-raising simulations...
, and most players end up delegating control of allies to the AI during normal encounters. During important and difficult boss
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
battles, the player may choose to take direct control and issue more forceful commands in order to keep the party alive and functioning at maximum efficiency.
Plot
Tales of Eternia follows Reid Hershel as he tries to prevent the Grand Fall, a cataclysmic event that would destroy his planet along with that of newly-found traveling companion Meredy. Specifically, the Grand Fall entails the violent collision of twin planets Inferia and Celestia. The journey takes Reid across both planets, as he seeks out those responsible for this movement towards the brink of annihilation.Setting
The story takes place in Eternia, a world where two planets, Inferia and Celestia, face one another, separated by the Orbus Barrier. Interaction between the two planets has been infrequent over the last few centuries despite their proximity; the Bridge of Light linked Inferia and Celestia in the distant past, but the link has been severed for an extensive period of time. The Aurora War, an ancient conflict that set Inferia against Celestia over two thousand years ago, continues to generate persistent mistrust between the two groups. The Orbus Barrier has shown recent signs of weakening and possible collapse due to the actions of an unknown external force.Story
Reid Hershel, along with his childhood friend Farah Oersted, notice an unusual change in the color of the Orbus Barrier coupled with the flight of a strange ship from Celestia. When they go to see what happened, they meet Meredy, who is dressed in a strange fashion and speaks a bizarre foreign language, and her pet Quickie. Consequently, Reid and Farah visit their childhood friend, Keele Zeibel, in search of answers regarding the identity of Meredy. Reid learns that she speaks Melnics, an ancient civilization's language. After traveling to Morle, Reid's group receives a special translation earring that allows communication with Meredy.Reid continues on to Inferia City, the global capital. The group asks the King of Inferia for help, but Reid is accused of spreading fear and confusion throughout the land; the punishment is a death sentence. The princess wants to know more about what Reid has to say, so the group is released. Reid explains the situation, and the leaders of Inferia hold an organizational conference. The Inferians announce they will uncover the Bridge of Light and stop the Celestians from executing the Grand Fall by taking aggressive military action. Reid is aided by Efreet, Undine and Sylph; the group is led by Rem to the Bridge of Light, which resides atop the highest mountain in Inferia. After climbing the mountain, Reid locates the Bridge of Light in its stone sanctum. Reid's group is confronted by Ras, who tells them that his real name is Rassius Luine, a senior knight loyal to the Kingdom of Inferia. Ras loses to Reid in combat, and watches the group escapes via the Bridge of Light to Celestia as Inferian reinforcements arrive.
Upon arrival in Celestia, Reid is greeted by the citizens of Imen, Meredy's hometown. Reid travels by rail to the ruined city Luishka; a professor there examines Reid's body as he houses an unknown fibrill, or magical energy. Reid discovers the Greater Craymel Gnome in a nearby cave, and the group enlists his help. Reid stumbles upon Chat's hut, and the party is accepted into her crew after a series of puzzle-based tests; the group now has access to the sea-based form of transportation. Using the Van Eltia, Reid reaches Peruti, the frozen town near the dominion of Greater Craymel Celsius. Reid climbs the nearby mountain and helps Celsius regain her sanity, saving Peruti. Reid's group is invited by Max to join the Shileska liberation army in order to stop Balir, the cause of the Grand Fall; however, Meredy senses pain and suffering from Imen, so Reid decides to return there first. When the party reaches Imen, the city is in ruins with the majority of its citizens killed.
At the technologically advanced city of Tinnsia, Reid meets with Ayla and Max, the leader of the Shileska liberation army; Max joins the party. After finding the Greater Craymel Volt trapped in a machine at the Ruins of Volt, Reid frees him and receives his power. Using the Craymel Cannon combined with the support of Shileska, the group manages to break through the fleet loyal to Balir. Infiltration of Balir's Castle leads to Shizel, the ex-Queen, who is ruling in place of Balir; Reid is forced to retreat due to the powerful Dark Aurora Arte of Shizel. After improving the Van Eltia and enlisting the help of Greater Craymel Shadow, Reid is given the Divine Aurora Arte by Seyfert, the god who created Eternia. Seyfert wishes to preserve his creation, while Nereid desires the destruction of both planets; only Reid's Divine Aurora Arte can defeat the Dark Aurora Arte given to Shizel by Nereid.
The group is now free to travel between the two planets via the Orbus Barrier using the Van Eltia. Reid recruits the Greater Craymel Rem at Regulus Knoll in preparation for the final confrontation at Shizel's Castle. Both Shizel and Nereid are defeated by Reid, who uses his Aurora Arte to counter that of Shizel. However, the Grand Fall continues on unabated despite the banishment of Nereid. Reid's group is forced destroy the Seyfert Ring, which forcefully connects Inferia and Celestia, using the combined power of the two Aurora Artes; this action stops the Grand Fall, but the two worlds drift apart and the party is split. Despite the separation, Chat's modified Van Eltia can fly from Inferia to Celestia, reuniting Reid with his allies.
Characters
Age: 18Height: 5'8"
Weight: 137 lbs
Origin: Inferia
Class: Hunter
Japanese Voice: Akira Ishida
Akira Ishida
Akira Ishida is a prolific male seiyū born in Nisshin, Aichi, Japan.He was a part of Mausu Promotion from 1988 until March 2009...
English Voice: Kevin Miller, Sam Riegel
Sam Riegel
Samuel Brent Oscar "Sam" Riegel is a voice actor, writer and director who appears in many television cartoons, anime, and video games. He began as a child actor in theater in Virginia, and moved to New York City to perform in Broadway and off-Broadway shows...
(Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology)
Reid is the red-haired protagonist of Tales of Eternia who wields a wide variety of melee weaponry, including swords, axes, and halberds. His main strength is his vast array of powerful close-combat special techniques that utilize his high physical power; Reid's high HP and defense statistics also help him survive close-quarters combat. Reid and Farah have known each other since childhood, growing up in the same small village, Rasheans, and have become close. Reid cannot use magic, but he has the special ability to use Fibril, the so-called "Power of the Gods", to execute some unique and powerful techniques late in the game.
Age: 17
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 101 lbs
Origin: Inferia
Class: Farmer
Japanese Voice: Yuko Minaguchi
Yuko Minaguchi
is a Japanese seiyū from Tokyo who is affiliated with Aoni Production.-Notable voice roles:* Princess Apricot in Bosco Adventure * Yumi in Blue Sonnet * Yawara Inokuma and Kaneko Inokuma in Yawara!...
Farah is a hardheaded farm girl from the same village as Reid, Rasheans, and they are almost always together as childhood friends. Throughout the game, a light romantic relationship is implied between Reid and Farah; however, nothing substantial develops. Farah uses her martial arts prowess to inflict hand-to-hand damage on her enemies through punches and kicks and can link many of her special attacks into each other, and she also has a narrow selection of healing chi. Farah's weapons are knuckles that augment the strength of her physical blows, and she plays more of a supporting role than Reid both in and out of battle.
Age: 17
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 112 lbs
Origin: Inferia
Class: Mintche University Light Craymel Graduate
Japanese Voice: Soichiro Hoshi
Soichiro Hoshi
is a Japanese seiyū. He is affiliated with Arts Vision.He uses the name when appearing in adult games.With the exception of Jungle Emperor Leo , he has been cast as a major or supporting character in every Goro Taniguchi directed anime.-Anime:...
Keele is a scholarly researcher who spends his time at Mintche University investigating Craymels and their applications. Keele has the ability to cast offensive magic and summon based on what Greater Craymels are assigned to him. Although he has a few innate spells that are gained automatically, the vast majority of Keele's spells must be gained through Greater Craymel assignment and fringing (combination) to develop new techniques. Therefore, both Keele and Meredy are highly customizable, but assignment of Greater Craymels among them is a zero-sum game, so a balanced selection of spells is optimal. Keele fights with staves and maces, but his physical attacks are unimpressive.
Age: 16
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 99 lbs
Origin: Celestia
Class: Craymel Engineer
Japanese Voice: Omi Minami
Omi Minami
is a Japanese voice actor. She is mostly known for her work in anime and video game roles.-Notable anime voice roles:*Tama *Shimajirō Shimano *Euphemia Li Britannia...
Hailing from Celestia and speaking a language alien to the Inferians, Melnics, Meredy is never without her companion Quickie. Meredy's home is Imen, the city of Craymels, in Celestia. Meredy has the same Greater Craymel options as Keele, including fringing, offensive spellcasting, and summoning. Like Keele, Meredy has a handful of innate offensive spells. Meredy uses whistles to command Quickie and attack from long range; she can obtain a special item late in the game to control him more accurately while defending or casting a spell, increasing her power as a stand-alone character.
Age: 12
Origin: Celestia
Class: Pirate
Japanese Voice: Junko Noda
Junko Noda
is a Japanese voice actress. Noda is formerly affiliated with Aoni Production. In addition, Noda is part of the Hinata Girls and she is best known for her work in the Love Hina anime series...
Descended from a famous pirate, Aifread, Chat styles herself an oddball pirate who is the captain of an impressive ship, the Van Eltia, but she has no crew. Before meeting Reid in the course of the story, Chat lived in relative isolation and avoided contact with others. Also she is often called a boy when she is a girl. A unique and specialized character, Chat has the ability to steal from enemies; her weapons are handbags. She can perform a counterattack against enemies if she defends against their attacks with the right timing.
Age: 38
Origin: Celestia
Class: Gunner
Japanese Voice: Masashi Ebara
Masashi Ebara
, better known as , is a Japanese voice actor, actor, and narrator from Kanagawa Prefecture. He stands at 175 centimeters and is affiliated with 81 Produce....
The leader of the resistance group, Shileska, which is aligned against the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
Celestian government; Shileska is headquartered in the Celestian city of Tinnsia. Max wields high-powered energy guns as a ranged attacker.
Age: 25
Origin: Inferia
Class: Merchant
Japanese Voice: Hiroshi Isobe
Ras originally appears to be on the party's side and serves as a playable character temporarily, but his true intentions as a Senior Knight of Inferia are eventually made clear. Ras is an agile swordsman who uses sabers in quick attacks and techniques. Despite his calm demeanor, Ras eventually becomes an adversary, opposing Reid's goal of traveling to Celestia and stopping the Grand Fall. Ras continued to meet up with the group, as he was following the Seyfert Key, which leads you to what Seyfert, the God of Creation, wants you to do for him. Ras believed that this meant that he must fight them, but during the fight he begins to realize (he was holding back during the fight) that perhaps Seyfert wanted him to join their quest, rather than to interfere with it. Ras has the same special powers as Reid regarding manipulation of the Fibril; this is another parallel with Reid, as they also share a common weapon and some sword techniques. As portrayed in the game, Reid is not on good terms with Rassius; the two often compete, with Reid shown as jealous towards Ras's relationship with Farah, as she shows a certain affection towards him.
The Craymel System
Like the other Tales of series, there are magic-based moves in Tales of Eternia. In Tales of Eternia, the word used is "craymel". Magic-based moves are called "Craymel Artes", the casters are called "Craymel Mages" and the spirits whose powers are used are called "Greater Craymels". The Greater Craymels, unlike the Tales of Phantasia system, cannot be summoned at ease. The Craymel Mages must first fill the Greater Craymel's C. Vitality (or Craymel's Vitality) in order to summon that Greater Craymel. Filling the C. Vitality of a particular Greater Craymel is done by using Craymel Artes associated with the desired Greater Craymel. New Craymel Artes can be learned by the "Fringe" command.Greater Craymels
The Primary Craymels of Inferia:
- Undine, the Greater Water Craymel
- Sylph, the Greater Wind Craymel
- Efreet, the Greater Fire Craymel
The Governing Craymel of Inferia:
- Rem, the Greater Light Craymel
The Supreme Craymel of Inferia:
- Maxwell, the Greater Elemental Craymel
The Primary Craymels of Celestia:
- Gnome, the Greater Earth Craymel
- Celsius, the Greater Ice Craymel
- Volt, the Greater Lightning Craymel
The Governing Craymel of Celestia:
- Shadow, the Greater Shadow Craymel
The Supreme Craymel of Celestia:
- Sekundes, the Greater Time Craymel
Audio
The soundtrack for Tales of Eternia was jointly composed by Motoi SakurabaMotoi Sakuraba
is a Japanese composer of video games, anime series, and television dramas as well as independent progressive rock albums.-Biography:Motoi Sakuraba was born in Akita Prefecture, Japan...
and Shinji Tamura, and the OST was released in Japan on March 16, 2001 by Marvelous Entertainment on two Compact Disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s.
| Track listing | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Title | Length |
| Disc 1 (74:27) | ||
| 1 | Main Title | 1:17 |
| 2 | Music Box 1 | 0:16 |
| 3 | Music Box 2 | 0:17 |
| 4 | Intermission | 0:08 |
| 5 | Card Game | 1:22 |
| 6 | Inferia Map | 2:51 |
| 7 | Ship | 2:28 |
| 8 | Aerial Board | 1:48 |
| 9 | Rasheans Forest | 2:38 |
| 10 | Rasheans | 3:15 |
| 11 | Regulus Dojo | 2:02 |
| 12 | Mintche | 4:16 |
| 13 | Mt. Mintche | 1:21 |
| 14 | Ability Test | 2:51 |
| 15 | Nostos Cave | 1:57 |
| 16 | Morle | 2:24 |
| 17 | Undine Stream | 2:49 |
| 18 | Forest of Temptation | 2:44 |
| 19 | Inferia City | 4:38 |
| 20 | Inferia Castle | 2:06 |
| 21 | Royal Observatory | 2:00 |
| 22 | Barole | 2:34 |
| 23 | Sylph Cavern | 2:14 |
| 24 | Chambard | 2:56 |
| 25 | Efreet Gorge | 2:14 |
| 26 | Mt. Farlos | 2:45 |
| 27 | Stone Abode | 2:03 |
| 28 | Seyfert Garden | 3:22 |
| 29 | Regulus Knoll | 2:44 |
| 30 | Below Regulus Knoll | 2:14 |
| 31 | Glimmer Spire | 3:41 |
| 32 | Inferia Ground | 1:52 |
| 33 | Below Mt. Farlos | 2:27 |
| 34 | Port | 2:19 |
| 35 | Seyfert Church | 2:05 |
| 36 | Farah's Theme | 2:47 |
| 37 | Meredy's Theme | 3:01 |
| 38 | Keele's Theme | 2:56 |
| 39 | Ras' Theme | 2:53 |
| 40 | Inferia Forces | 3;31 |
| 41 | Farah | 3:47 |
| 42 | Celestia Map | 3:49 |
| 43 | Cape Fortress | 3:11 |
| 44 | Imen | 2:34 |
| 45 | Dragon Rock Mountain | 2:09 |
| 46 | Railroad | 2:38 |
| 47 | Luishka | 2:24 |
| 48 | Mine of Gnome | 2:57 |
| 49 | Gnome Village | 2:50 |
| 50 | Chat Hut | 2:41 |
| 51 | Mt. Celsius | 3:26 |
| 52 | Peruti 1 | 1:22 |
| 53 | Peruti 2 | 2:53 |
| 54 | Imen 2 | 3:17 |
| 55 | Tinnsia | 2:20 |
| Disc 2 (60:30) | ||
| 1 | Shileska | 3:15 |
| 2 | Ruins of Volt | 2:07 |
| 3 | Great Battle 1 | 2:32 |
| 4 | Great Battle 2 | 2:04 |
| 5 | Seyfert Shrine | 2:52 |
| 6 | Battle's End | 0:04 |
| 7 | Jini | 2:12 |
| 8 | Shadow Cave | 2:47 |
| 9 | Below Celestia | 2:13 |
| 10 | Celestia Ground | 2:06 |
| 11 | Bar | 1:38 |
| 12 | Chat's Theme | 1:56 |
| 13 | Dance Music | 1:00 |
| 14 | Seyfert Observatory | 2:13 |
| 15 | Final Battle | 1:38 |
| 16 | Meeting Place | 2:09 |
| 17 | Strange Labyrinth | 2:25 |
| 18 | Eternal Mind | 2:39 |
| 19 | The Van Eltia | 2:21 |
| 20 | Aifish | 1:35 |
| 21 | Aibird | 1:53 |
| 22 | Submarine Cave | 1:38 |
| 23 | Strange Theme | 2:15 |
| 24 | Aifread Theme | 2:01 |
| 25 | Comical Dungeon | 1:40 |
| 26 | Determination | 1:15 |
| 27 | Relaxation | 1:40 |
| 28 | Easygoing | 0:58 |
| 29 | Dullen | 1:51 |
| 30 | Hurry | 0:55 |
| 31 | Crisis | 1:04 |
| 32 | Ouch | 0:38 |
| 33 | Encounter | 0:49 |
| 34 | Sweet Memories | 1:13 |
| 35 | Bad Memories | 2:41 |
| 36 | Despair | 1:14 |
| 37 | Sadness Theme | 2:30 |
| 38 | Van Eltia Theme | 1:10 |
| 39 | Rem Theme | 2:04 |
| 40 | Inferia Battle | 3:13 |
| 41 | Mid Boss 1 | 3:50 |
| 42 | Heroic Shadow | 1:41 |
| 43 | Celestia Battle | 3:04 |
| 44 | Mid Boss 2 | 4:24 |
| 45 | Sadness Battle | 5:09 |
| 46 | Strange Battle | 3:00 |
| 47 | Shooting | 2:22 |
| 48 | King Fanfare | 0:04 |
| 49 | Time Battle | 2:32 |
| 50 | Harmonica 1 | 0:04 |
| 51 | Harmonica 2 | 0:04 |
| 52 | Wake | 2:05 |
| 53 | Minigame 1 | 1:34 |
| 54 | Minigame 2 | 1:36 |
Reception and legacy
Tales of Eternia, known as Tales of Destiny II in the North American market, received generally positive reviews upon its release, garnering a rating of 82 on the aggregation site MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Multimedia website IGN appreciated the gameplay, citing "a great action-oriented battle system that has no close equivalent in any other game". The GameSpot reviewer, Brad Shoemaker, stated that "Tales of Destiny II [Tales of Eternia] would not be out of place on the Super Nintendo about eight years ago" regarding graphics; however, Doug Erickson of Gaming Age claimed that spell effects made up for this, with "boss encounters border on eye-flaying, with screen-filling alpha-loaded spells firing off every few seconds". Namco's localization effort was generally seen as sufficient, with the humor of the script translated to the North American audience, but reviewers found the game's voice acting to be deficient and unremarkable. Tales of Eternia generated enough popularity in Japan to support a thirteen episode anime series, which was run on television in 2001. Additionally, the game warranted a PSP re-release in Japan and the PAL territories.
Related Media
The original game made reference to a number of previous projects completed by Namco, and Tales of Eternia was popular enough in the Japanese market to justify an anime series that used the four main characters in an unrelated storyline. Melnics, an in-game original language, has been used outside of Tales of Eternia.Tales of Eternia (anime series)
A 13 episode anime series produced by Xebec also called Tales of Eternia was inspired by the game; the series originally ran on Japanese television from 8 January 2001 to 26 March 2001. Tales of Eternia was licensed by Media BlastersMedia Blasters
Media Blasters is an entertainment corporation founded by John Sirabella and Sam Liebowitz, based in New York City. They are in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American market manga compilations and anime and live-action movies and television series to home-video...
on 6 July 2002 for North American distribution, but the company's license expired when it failed to release the series. Consequently, the series is currently unlicensed and available only through import. The plot of the anime series is completely unrelated to the story of the original game; common elements include the four main characters, Greater Craymels, and spells.