"One you can see, and the other doesn't weigh very much."
This was <3.
So, as you all might know, I finally finished doing everything (in terms of trophies) for Tales of Symphonia. I had so much fun doing this. Even though I couldn't skip scenes or turn off certain voices, the experience was one of the more fun ones and it reminded me why I enjoy the Tales series so much. I look back on the characters and games with some new thoughts. Feel free to skip this post if Tales of Symphonia is not your thing. I'll try to keep spoilers to a minimum.
Lloyd is still a doofus, but he is lovable as hell. He's kind of like Peter Griffin during the first three seasons of Family Guy. He means well and I would cheer for him even if he was an obnoxious idiot during certain events. Also, I loved hearing his Japanese voice actor instead of that whiny yahoo from Teen Titans.
Colette has surprised me so much the more I saw her. She gets kidnapped. She suffers from two diseases throughout the game. She gets curb stomped by Kvar and by Forcystus. Yet, despite all of that, she brings sunshine and smiles to the party. She is also one of the most deadly characters to use in battle. Seriously, people underestimate her because she has a different fighting style.
My view on Genis has not changed. Having a magic user in the party is fun, but everything else about him is bad. His weapon is useless. Most of his stats are the lowest. Also, he's like a male tsundere. The only difference is that the tsunderes I have seen are cute. Genis is not.
That said, Raine is still a favorite. I love watching her punish Genis. I love watching her go nuts when she sees a ruin. It reminds me of people who actually enjoy learning and going to school. Raine gives me hope for the future. Also, Photon is probably the most useful spell in the game. And of course, she can heal the party. If anyone does play the PS3 version, I highly recommend trying to get her exclusive bunny-girl costume. She looks amazing.
Sheena used to be a favorite, but the more I saw of her the less I liked her. She's not very useful in battle unless she's in OL. Her character is ok, but I would have loved to have seen her be more open.
Kratos is unique one. I won't spoil anything, but I often times forget he's there unless he's NOT in my party. That said, he's very fun to use in battle. With the right EX Skills, he hits like a tank and has the mobility of a chopper. Zelos is the same way, but he's a bit trickier to use in battle due to his flailing fighting style. Zelos was good for comedy relief, but his shtick eventually gets old.
Presea is fantastic. This girl is such a bad ass. In battle, she does away with high combo counts and uses raw power to wreck enemy faces. Seriously, Punishment followed by Endless Infliction is pain personified. Also, her story is about as tragic as Colette's. That said, I think Presea goes through more because her physical appearance gets ****** up by it. Still, she presses on and it's a tale that is hopeful and tragic all at once.
Regal is also fantastic. As a character, I always liked him. However, I finally started using him as my main and I have to say he's the most fun to use. Using a ground, anti-air, and air combo followed by his Mystic Arte is the most satisfying thing you can do in combat. He also participates in the most deadly Unison Attack. Actually, his participating in UAs is an improvement from the GC version.
Finally, some closing thoughts. Kuchiniawa is a whiny sissy and kicking his ass is always satisfying. The cameo battle never grows old. Fighting the bonus solo battle in the arena is more fun than I thought. I really like the person's fighting style. The bonus dungeon is a pain. Dirk is the better dwarf in comparison to Altessa. Celsius is the most fabulous summon spirit, but Origin is the most fun to use.
All in all, a fantastic game and a fun platinum to earn. I know that I'll play through the game again in the future. For now, I'm thinking of taking a break from RPGs (or maybe even all gaming all together) until Tales of Hearts comes out in November!
