Tales of Symphonia Remastered

“Tales of Symphonia Remastered isn't going to win any awards. It's a soulless cash grab that has come with as little effort by Bandai Namco as possible. If you're a die-hard fan, there may be something here for you, but really you're just paying for the nostalgia hit. Those who didn't play the original and are looking to pick up and enjoy a slice of video game history should let this one go past - there will hopefully be another iteration of this in a few years' time and maybe they'll put more effort into that one.”

“Tales of Symphonia Remastered is not the best version of the GameCube original, but that doesn't mean it's a bad experience. The story still holds up, combat is still exciting, and the characters are some of the best in the series, but all these systems take getting used to compared to newer games. Worst of all is the Switch version, which brings several new technical issues to the game, includes short but repetitive loading screens after you do almost anything outside of menus. It may be a deal breaker for some, but for others it might be a small price to pay to play an RPG classic on modern consoles.”

“Tales of Symphonia Remastered is a solid, albeit dated trip down memory lane.”

“Tales of Symphonia Remastered fails to capture the magic of the original on modern consoles, and it should probably be avoided, especially on Nintendo Switch.”

“Tales of Symphonia's excellent story and characters are held back by dated mechanics, repetitive combat, and some technical issues.”

“Tales of Symphonia Remastered is a product that was only made to comply, so compared to remasters of other franchises, it falls far, far behind. On the other hand, if there are new users who want to play it for the first time, it is an accessible option today. Although for the asking price, perhaps it would be best to wait for a discount.”

“Tales of Symphonia Remastered shows exactly why it's a classic game: a fine story with plenty of heart and consequence. Gameplay even lets you make it as simple or involved as you wish. Navigation is a terrible chore, though, and the remastered efforts feel too much like a basic port to be anything else.”

“Tales of Symphonia Remastered is still a great action JRPG and an important one in establishing the now long-running series, but there are better ways to experience it than this.”

“If you love JRPGs, you owe it to yourself to play Tales of Symphonia, and Tales of Symphonia Remastered is an easy way to do that. I’d even recommend this game to fans of retro gaming in general. I really wish I could recommend it to everyone. Unfortunately, the slightly clunky design and aged graphics make it hard for me to do that.”

“To be fair, anyone who loved the original should love this one, too - but it may not win over any newcomers because of how outdated everything feels. Tales of Symphonia Remastered brings a great JRPG to modern hardware, and that’s certainly a cause for celebration. Unfortunately, it never feels like this remaster really rises to the occasion.”

“Symphonia regenerated the traditional RPG structure with smartly designed battle mechanics and well-fleshed out cast of characters. It remains a favorite of mine to this day and I'm glad to get the opportunity to experience it again, even if this re-release can never truly recapture the original effect it had on me. The remaster translates the regenerative nature of Symphonia competently, but this is the kind of game that deserves a remaster that goes the extra mile.”

“Tales of Symphonia returns to the market with a rather lazy remastered. The combat system has aged badly and the polygonal models deserve more, but it still remains one of the most exciting chapters of the Tales of franchise ever.”

“Tales of Symphonia is a beloved classic of Bandai Namco's Tales series, but this latest version is a disappointing mess of issues, play a different port instead.”

“The game maintains its endearing charm and an ambitious and huge development, but not all the dynamics remain fresh today nor has enough been done to update it on a technical level.”

“Close to two decades later, Tales of Symphonia Remastered is a reminder of how neatly crafted the original GameCube and PS2 title was. Barring a few rough edges, this is still a great action RPG, full of charm and character. The only real downside is that the remaster itself leaves a lot to be desired.”

“While we understand and appreciate Bandai Namco's decision to bring Tales of Symphonia to as many platforms as possible, in order to allow new generations to (re)discover one of the most important chapters of the franchise, we firmly believe that such a lazy remastering is not the most effective (nor the most respectful) method to revive a great classic of the past and celebrate its twentieth anniversary.”

“Tales of Symphonia is still one of the biggest highlights in the series with a fantastic assortment of characters, some simple but enjoyable combat and great story to keep players invested throughout.”

“We're admittedly a little mixed on Tales of Symphonia Remastered. Though the story is compelling, the character building is satisfying, and there's lots of content to experience, Bandai Namco's near-nonexistent efforts to scrub out the rough edges of this 20-ish year old game definitely hold it back from greatness. Things like the stiff combat, dated visuals, and awkward writing limit the appeal here, which makes this remaster feel like a missed opportunity. It's easier to recommend this to those who have nostalgia for the original and want to relive those memories, but it's tough to say whether newcomers should pick it up. This is far from the best action RPG on the Switch, and it's arguably not even the best Tales game on the Switch. We'd give this one a light recommendation as its positives do outweigh its negatives, but with the caveat that you should probably wait for a deep sale or buy it used. There are much better RPGs to play on the Switch today, and this one doesn't quite deserve a spot near the top of your list.”