Alrighty, Tales of Hearts impressions.
1. The game is gorgeous. The Vita does not mess around when it comes to pretty graphics.
2. The Japanese language and English subtitles are a bit off. While they're not wrong per se, they aren't as accurate for someone like myself who understands parts of the language.
3. Combat is fast, fun and fantastic. There is more emphasis on aerial combat and many of the skills can be used in the air. Also, you can chase enemies after you knock them in the air, then slam then down and give more chase. It's insanely fast and I already racked up a 70 hit combo on a foolish boss.
4. The characters are awesome so far. The story takes a dark turn from the get go. That said, there is tons of humor. The chemistry between the folks promises to give a well-rounded cast and I have only met half of them so far. Kor is like a mixture between the good features of Lloyd and Stahn. Hisui is a real tough-talker, but I'm sure he's a big softy. Gall reminds me a bit of Rowen mixed with a bit of Loni. Beryl is going to be one of my mains alongside Kor. She is part magic girl, part painter and is a combo machine.
5. Lots of anime scenes! The Tales series needs more of these.
I have about 13 hours of game time and I'm really excited to keep going. I'm going through withdrawals as I wait for the work day to end.