Tales of Symphonia
Developer(s)	Namco Tales Studio
Publisher(s)	Namco
Designer(s)	Kosuke Fujishima (characters) Takashi Hasegawa (game)
Platform(s)	GameCube (All regions), PlayStation 2 (Japan Only)
Release date	JPNAugust 29, 2003 (GCN) NAJuly 13, 2004 (GCN) JPNSeptember 22, 2004 (PS2) EURNovember 19, 2004 (GCN)
Genre(s)	Console role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer cooperative
Rating(s)	CERO: All Ages ESRB: T (Teen) PEGI: 12+ OFLC: M15+
Media	2 × GameCube Optical Disc 1 × DVD-ROM (PS2)
System requirements	Memory card
Input methods	1-4 controllers

Tales of Symphonia (テイルズ オブ シンフォニア, Teiruzu obu Shinfonia^?) is a video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual that creates Video games A developer may specialize in a certain video is a Japanese Video game development company founded in March 2003. is an amusement company based in Japan, best known overseas for Video games development A "game designer" is a person who designs Video games or one who designs traditional games such as Board games Video Games Designer A video game designer is a Japanese manga artist. Born in Chiba, Japan, he first came to public attention as an editor of Puff magazine his first job after completing Takashi Hasegawa is an Electrical engineer and Programmer, who works at the Optoelectronic System Laboratory of Hitachi Cable, Ltd In Computing, a platform describes some sort of Hardware architecture or Software framework (including Application frameworks, that allows The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction A console role-playing game is a video game genre that has its origin rooted in Video game consoles and includes game mechanics and frequently settings derived In video gaming, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session A multiplayer game is a Game which is played by several players. A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of Video games into suitability-related groups The ( CERO) is the Organization that rates video games and Computer Software in Japan with levels of rating that informs the customer The Entertainment Software Rating Board ( ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, Advertising guidelines and Pan European Game Information ( PEGI) is a European Video game content rating system. The Office of Film and Literature Classification is a Statutory Censorship and classification body which provides day to day administrative support for the Classification Digital media (as opposed to analog media) usually refers to Electronic media that work on digital Codes. Nintendo optical discs refer to the Optical disc format used to distribute Video games released by Nintendo. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is A memory card or flash memory card is a solid-state electronic Flash memory Data storage device used with Digital A game controller is an Input device used to control a Video game. A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. It debuted in Japan on August 29, 2003, in Canada and the United States on July 13, 2004, and in Europe on November 19, 2004. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Events February 27 &mdash Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Yu Suzuki Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Events January 20 — Wired s Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land Events January 20 — Wired s Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner The game received a Japanese-only PlayStation 2 release on September 22, 2004. Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " ^[1] The game sold 118,000 copies during its first two weeks of sales in the U. S. ^[2] and went on to sell over 1. 2 million copies worldwide. ^[3][4]

The game was produced by Akira Yoshizumi, a producer from Namco. Akira Yoshizumi is a Japanese Video game designer who works for Namco. is an amusement company based in Japan, best known overseas for Video games development It is the fifth main installment in the Tales RPG series, taking place long before Tales of Phantasia (hence a distant prequel) and was the third in the series to be officially released in the U. is a Super Famicom game in the RPG genre published by Namco and released in Japan in 1995 A prequel is a work that portrays events and/or aspects of a previously completed narrative but is set prior to the existing narrative S. in as many years in Anime, and the first to be released in Europe. (anime in Japanese, One notable characteristic of the game is its art direction by Kosuke Fujishima, a renowned Japanese mangaka (comic-book artist). is a Japanese manga artist. Born in Chiba, Japan, he first came to public attention as an editor of Puff magazine his first job after completing is the Japanese word for a comic artist or Cartoonist. Outside of Japan, Manga usually refers to a Japanese Comic book and mangaka

In June 2007, ufotable released an OVA in Japan based on the events of Symphonia. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. is a Japanese animation studio founded in October 2000 and located in Nakano, Tokyo Prefecture. is a four-episode anime series ( OVA) based on the video game of the same name. ^[5] A spin-off sequel titled Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World is also currently being made for Japan and North America, so far exclusive to the Wii. Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World, known in Japan as, is a Console role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio and published

Contents 1 Gameplay 1.1 Battle 1.2 Leveling up 1.3 Items 1.4 Skits 1.5 GRADE 1.6 Affection system 2 Plot 2.1 Characters 2.2 Story 3 Development 3.1 Themes 3.2 Theme songs 4 Reception 5 Related Media 5.1 Links to Tales of Phantasia 6 Anime adaptation 7 Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World 8 References 9 External links

Gameplay

Battle

Like previous games in the Tales series, Tales of Symphonia uses a version of the Linear Motion Battle System — a real-time battle system, as opposed to the turn-based systems used in traditional role-playing games. The Linear Motion Battle System ( LMBS or LiMBS) is a fighting paradigm in Namco -published Video games primarily for use in their ''Tales'' A turn-based game is a Game where the game flow is partitioned into well-defined and visible parts called turns or rounds During battle, up to four characters can be controlled by players. Characters not under the control of a player operate according to strategies that are pre-selected by the player. Characters can be set to operate according to specific tactics and players can determine which techniques or magic spells the character may use during battle. AI-controlled choices can be overridden by the player by pausing and selecting orders from a menu; the player may also map certain techniques, spells, or strategies to controller buttons, allowing quick use of them without pausing.

Battle movement is relative to enemy characters. Players target enemies through a Zelda-style system; the controlled character and targeted enemy define a plane perpendicular to the ground to which movement is restricted. is a High fantasy action-adventure Video game series created by Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and developed and published Characters can attack, defend, or use magic and special techniques. Guarding is of much greater importance than in previous Tales games, as Symphonia characters take more damage when un-Guarded than do their series counterparts, and guarding prevents attacks from stunning the character. The proper use of guarding allows attacks to be dodged through a backstep and allows character to land on their feet after be thrown in the air. However, being hit from behind while guarding triggers a "Guard Break", leaving the character briefly vulnerable. Characters gain an additional defense to aid them in guarding. Although these have different names based on the characters that can use them, all are essentially the same in that, when activated, the technique creates a green sphere around the character that defends against any attacks (including magical) for a few seconds.

Dealing combos on an enemy fills the Unison Gauge; when filled completely, a Unison Attack can be triggered. During a Unison Attack, each character uses a special attack chosen by the player consecutively; certain attacks, when used, result in a combined attack to cause additional damage.

Another feature of the Linear Motion Battle System is "overlimit. ", which is very similar to the "Spirit Blaster" mode from Tales of Destiny 2. Characters enter overlimit after having obtained a certain number of tension points (the required amount varies from character to character). Several things contribute to tension, though the most obvious factor is getting hit. However, a character's tension points reset upon dying (though a death increases the tension of the other three party members). Overlimit removes "staggering", allowing the character to perform actions without interruption; reduces the amount of damage the character takes; and allows spells to be cast more quickly. Some attacks may only be used while in overlimit mode; for example, Genis must be in overlimit to use "Indignation Judgment", and Sheena cannot summon (with one exception, Corrine) unless she is in overlimit. This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 Certain enemies can go into overlimit as well. A character who cooks a meal featuring a liked ingredient will have points added to his tension; using something disliked may remove points.

Additionally, when the party is on the overworld map, they can enter battles by running into monsters on the field. There are two different groups of enemies they can fight: the smaller, weaker groups are displayed as small, blob-like monsters, whereas the larger, stronger groups are displayed as bipedal creatures. This feature is very similar to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, which features the same concept. Zelda II The Adventure of Link is an Action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and it

Lloyd, Genis, and Colette possess special moves, or hi-ougis, that can be activated under specific conditions; Falcon's Crest, Indignation Judgment, and Holy Judgment respectively. This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 The PS2 version contains hi-ougis for additional characters, including some bosses and every member of the party.

Leveling up

Although Tales of Symphonia uses the typical experience point system, in which characters gain strength and abilities with the accumulation of EXP, several player-controlled factors determine which strengths and abilities the characters gain.

Each character can equip up to four EX Gems of varying strengths; each Gem can be set to a specific ability, from strengthening stats to providing out-of-battle bonuses (for instance, Zelos's level 2 Personal EX-skill lets him charm items out of women). This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 For the most part, EX-skills are different for each character. Available EX-skills also determine the character's type, be it Technical (T) or Strike (S). EX-skills and the Technical-Strike balance can be altered at any time, though it will take a fair number of battles before the balance shifts. This balance determines what battle techniques a character gains access to, opening certain abilities while closing off others (including replacing ones that have already been learned); characters are not supposed to be able to 'mix and match,' but an uncorrected glitch allows it. Finally, certain combinations of EX-skills will result in 'compound EX-skills', which provide added bonuses in addition to the effects of the standard EX-skills that comprise it.

Each character has up to 25 titles, which are earned at certain levels, by completing certain events, or by completing certain challenges, and reflect aspects of the characters' personalities or their achievements. Titles may be gained at certain points in the main plot, by participating in side events, by leveling up, by triggering special circumstances in battle, and by meeting unique preconditions. Most titles determine which stats the character will increase in when they level up, but a few have other side effects instead, such as enabling mini-games or changing the character's costume.

Items

Tales of Symphonia takes a varied approach to character recovery. The RPG standbys of inns and recovery items exist, but characters can also learn recipes from an eccentric character known as the Wonder Chef, who is usually disguised as an out-of-place item, like a magazine rack (as he was in Tales of Eternia). Inns are establishments where travellers can procure Food, Drink, and Lodging. A recipe is a set of instructions that show how to prepare or make something especially a culinary dish. is a Japanese PlayStation action role-playing Video game released by Namco in 2000 and later ported to PlayStation Portable in 2005 If the character possesses the required food items, they can prepare a dish that will have beneficial effects upon the party, such as recovery of hit points and technical points, curing of ailments such as poison, or temporary boosting of character status. Health is a Game mechanic used in computer and Video games to give value to characters, enemies NPCs, and related objects However, sometimes a recipe may be cooked unsuccessfully, resulting in wasted ingredients and greatly reduced benefits to the party. Though each recipe requires a specific set of raw ingredients (for instance, a Sandwich always requires Bread), characters may add a variety of secondary ingredients (lettuce, cheese, meat and so forth). A sandwich is a food item made of two or more slices of Bread with one or more layers of a filling Bread is a Staple food prepared by Baking a Dough of Flour and Water. Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa) is a Temperate annual or Biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. Cheese is a Food made from Milk, usually the milk of cows, Buffalo, Goats or sheep, by coagulation. In modern English usage meat most often refers to Animal tissue used as food mostly Skeletal muscle and associated Fat, but it may also refer Furthermore, not all characters are equally talented at cooking; the character's talent at any given dish is indicated by a row of empty star icons, which may vary in length and are gradually filled in as the character gains proficiency. The running gag concerning Raine's notorious lack of cooking skill is represented by the fact that many of her recipes max out at two stars of a possible seven; in contrast her brother Genis is the best overall cook in the game (described frequently as a necessary survival trait).

Symphonia also features a "Customization" system, in which certain NPCs will upgrade equipment if given the proper ingredients (often a weapon of the same type, along with at least one piece of "loot" gathered via gameplay). The ingredients required and equipment resulting depend on the NPC. Certain weapons and armors are only available via customization.

Skits

In addition to cut scenes, various skits between the characters can be viewed while on the overworld, in towns, and in dungeons. A cut scene is a sequence in a Video game over which the player has little or no control often breaking up the gameplay and used to advance the plot present They involve animated character portraits, subtitles, and, in the Japanese version, full voice acting. There are two varieties: those that are accessed by pressing the Z button, and those which are tied to physical locations on the overworld map. A few are mandatory, and are called up automatically by game triggers. Overworld-map skits have the added bonus of affecting Lloyd's relationships with other party members. Skits concern anything from character development (Colette keeping a stiff upper lip in the face of her troubles) to side details (Sheena raging at Zelos for his womanizing ways) to sheer tomfoolery (Lloyd asking Regal if he cooks the way he fights: with his feet). This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 In the original Japanese version of the game, the Skits, known as Z-Skits, were voice-acted, but this feature was dropped for the North American and European version.

GRADE

GRADE is awarded after each battle. It is awarded or subtracted based on specific criteria that are fulfilled in battle. For example, scoring multi-hit combos increases GRADE, but having a character die will subtract it; the length of the battle (in seconds) also has an effect. In normal and hard modes, the max amount of grade to gain/lose is twenty, but in Mania Mode the number is tripled. Grade can be used to purchase items for customization and EX gems, or to buy bonuses when starting a New Game Plus. New Game Plus (usually written as " New Game+ " is a Video game mode that allows the player to start a new game after they finish the game at least once When the game is completed, the player receives a bonus of 1,000 GRADE. Any GRADE spent in the Grade Shop will be refunded at the end of the New Game Plus. Bonuses from the New Game Plus include carrying over learned recipes, multiplying the EXP earned in battle by 10, and carrying over all accumulated techniques. New Game Plus (usually written as " New Game+ " is a Video game mode that allows the player to start a new game after they finish the game at least once

Affection system

The player will be able to make certain decisions that imperceptibly affect how the other characters think of Lloyd. Some of these choices will have major ramifications which may alter the game's plot. Other ways in which the player can influence affection include selecting certain decisions in skits triggered by certain points on the world map and by choosing characters to travel with or assist Lloyd at certain points in the game.

In addition, the affection system will dramatically influence the story as the party member who cares for Lloyd the most will be "paired off" with him after an important story point late in the game. Depending on which character this is, the effects of their friendship on the plot can vary from slight to major. For example, if Lloyd is paired off with Sheena, she will become Lloyd's new love interest (whereas it normally would be Colette). Becoming pairs with a character like Regal, however, minimally impacts the game's plot. It is important to note that the overall plot will remain the same with one exception, in that case one character betrays the party and another joins the party in their place.

Plot

Characters

Main article: List of characters in Tales of Symphonia

Story

The game begins in the world of Sylvarant, a land that is dying due to a steady loss of mana, the energy source that is needed both for magic and to support life itself. Mana is the concept of an impersonal force or quality that resides in people animals and inanimate objects As the crops begin to wither and hardship sets in, the people turn their hopes to the Chosen, a servant and messiah of the Goddess Martel, who can reverse the ills of the world by completing the Journey of World Regeneration. This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 The current Chosen is a girl named Colette Brunel, who is protected by her childhood friends Lloyd Irving and Genis Sage, her teacher and Genis' older sister Raine Sage, and Kratos Aurion, a mercenary with a mysterious past. This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 Later on in the game, the party is joined by four other people: Presea Combatir, a strong but strange girl; Zelos Wilder, an arrogant playboy that is the Chosen for Tethe'alla, the other world; Sheena Fujibayashi, a female ninja; and Regal Bryant, an ex-convict. This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2

Such a quest is undertaken when the world is in an extreme state of decline. In order to regenerate the world, the Chosen must travel from continent to continent, awakening the Summon Spirits that sleep at ancient shrines known as "seals". With every seal released, the Chosen comes closer and closer to becoming an angel. Once the Chosen fully transforms into an angel, the world will be regenerated.

As the game progresses, many revelations are made about the subject of World Regeneration and the hidden plots that complicate the scenario. One of the earliest revelations is that becoming an angel forces the Chosen to give up the aspects of himself or herself that make him or her human. With the first seal, the Chosen loses the need to eat; with the second, he or she can no longer sleep. The release of the third seal causes the Chosen to lose the ability to feel physical sensations altogether. After releasing the fourth seal, the Chosen can no longer speak. The fifth and final seal requires the Chosen to give up his or her heart and memory and, with them, his or her life. When this process has been completed, the Chosen's body will become one with the goddess Martel.

The party also learns of a second world, known as Tethe'alla, which lies parallel to Sylvarant. It is then revealed that replenishing the Sylvarant's supply of mana changes the flow of mana, thereby draining it away from Tethe'alla - much like the sand in an hourglass. The reverse also holds true. As the worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla must compete for a limited amount of mana to survive, whenever one of these two worlds is regenerated, the other falls into a state of mana deprivation.

The party does indeed succeed in releasing all the seals, and the Chosen becomes Martel's vessel. However, they learn that the angels that they are trying to serve have been using them. The party is betrayed by one of its own members, who is then revealed to be an angel. The remaining party then goes to Tethe'alla to find answers, where their goal ultimately changes to saving the two worlds. In order to do this, they decide that they must sever the ties between Sylvarant and Tethe'alla to separate the worlds, thus ending the competition for mana. In the end, the party revives an ancient tree of ever-flowing mana, which, with the aid of the Eternal Sword, merges the two worlds once more.

Development

The game that would later be titled Tales of Symphonia was first announced during a press conference on May 8, 2002. Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[6] Although the game was originally intended to be a GameCube exclusive, a port for the PlayStation 2, released only in Japan , was announced in April 2004. See also Software portability In Computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created ^[7] The PlayStation 2 version contains additional features, such as two extra anime cutscenes, several additional optional story scenes and side quests, new monsters, more Techs and Unison Attacks, and additional costumes. (anime in Japanese,

Themes

Many legends and works inspire the game’s story. A prominent contributor is Norse mythology. Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland Mithos Yggdrasill's name is taken from Yggdrasil, the world-tree that was believed by the Norse to support and nourish the world. In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil ( Old Norse Yggdrasill, ˈyɡˌdrasilː the extra -l is a Nominative case marker is the World This concept of a world-tree is manifested in the Great Kharlan Tree. Norse Mythology also inspired the name of the towns of Heimdall, Ymir and Asgard, as well as the underworld, Niflheim. Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland Heimdall ( Old Norse Heimdallr, the prefix Heim- means home, the affix -dallr is of uncertain origin is one of the Æsir In Norse mythology, Ymir, also named Aurgelmir ( Old Norse gravel-yeller) among the giants themselves was the founder of the race of This article is about the realm of Norse Mythology For other uses of the names Asgard, Asgaard and Asgård, see Asgard (disambiguation Niflheimr or Niflheim (" Mist Home" the "Abode of Mist" or "Mist World" Nifl being cognate with the Old English Kratos Aurion's name is taken from Cratos, the personification of strength and power in Greek mythology. In Greek mythology, Cratos ( English translation: "strength" was a son of Pallas and Styx, and he was the personification of strength Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance It is also possible it may be taken from the Greek word Cratos, meaning power. In Greek mythology, Cratos ( English translation: "strength" was a son of Pallas and Styx, and he was the personification of strength Zelos Wilder's name is also taken from Greek mythology, Zelus being the son of Pallas and Styx. Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance This Zelos is the Greek personification For other uses see Zelos. Arabian mythology was drawn upon for the names of Efreet and Bahamut. This is a sub-article to Pre-Islamic Arabia Arabian mythology comprises the ancient Pre-Islamic beliefs of the Arabs Prior to the Ifrit, also spelled efreet, also ifreet, afrit, afreet ( Arabic: ʻAfrīt: عفريت pl ʻAfārīt Bahamut ( بهموت Bahamūt) is a vast fish that supports the earth in Arabian mythology. Japanese mythology contributed the legendary sword Kusanagi, which is the equivalent of Excalibur in the Western world. Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based Folk religion. is a legendary Japanese Sword as important to Japan's history as Excalibur is to Britain's, and is one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan Excalibur is the legendary Sword of King Arthur sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful Sovereignty of Great This, along with two other legendary objects of Japanese mythology, the Yata mirror and Yasakani jewel are received from the optional boss known as the Sword Dancer. is a sacred mirror that is part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. Magatama (ja 勾玉 or ja 曲玉) are curved Beads which first appeared in Japan during the Jōmon period. Even obscure characters such as Sephira of Spanish mythology make brief appearances. Sephirot "enumerations" '''Sephiroth''' '''Sefiroth''' (סְפִירוֹת singular Sephirah also Sefirah (סְפִירָה "enumeration" in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] Spanish mythology would encompass all the sacred myths of the cultures in the region of Spain. Pagan themes are evident in the concept of the Goddess Martel and the general nature themes present in the game. Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world A goddess is a Female Deity. Many Cultures have goddesses Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 The universal theme of death and renewal can be seen in the seesawing parallel worlds and the Chosen ritual, and it is specifically mentioned during one encounter with a unicorn. Typical high fantasy elements abound in the game as well, such as dwarves and elves. High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of Fantasy fiction that is set in invented or parallel worlds. DWARF is a widely used standardized Debugging data format. DWARF was originally designed along with ELF, although it is independent of Object file An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming There are also elements from the Bible; the Seraphim came from the angel caste system, and the theme of achieving salvation is highly advertised by the Church of Martel. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin A seraph ( Heb. שׂרף, pl שׂרפים Seraphim, lat. seraph'' pl In a book that Genis keeps in his room, humans who have turned to the side of the Desians are known as the "Fallen", which is a reference to the dualistic views of good and evil as taught by Christianity. This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 The analogy of two parallel worlds originating from one and split asunder by a character from a team of four adventurers may be a reference to The Longest Journey, in which four Draic Kin split a world into two. The Longest Journey ( Den lengste reisen) is a point-and-click Adventure game developed by Norwegian Studio Funcom Draic Kin or simply the Kin is a Fictional race of ancient Dragon -like extraterrestrial sentient beings living on Earth, as featured It is possible to argue that the issues and ideologies presented to the human race by almost every religion are explored in Tales of Symphonia - caste systems, sacrifice, "the weight of one's sin," the worth of life, and many other unanswerable but important questions deeply entwined the plot.

The game also carries the reappearing motif of facing discrimination and racism. Unlike most discrimination policies discrimination between, which is the discernment of qualities and recognition of the differences focused here discrimination against is List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that Half-elves are distrusted and despised by humans and elves in both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. In Tethe'alla, half-elves are considered to be inferior and are at the bottom of the caste system, while in Sylvarant, a group known as the Desians, who wreak havoc upon the world, make up the majority of the half-elves there. This leads to a vicious cycle, in which humans persecute half-elves due to their hatred for the Desians, and as a result of this, the half-elves then join the Desians in their mutual hatred and in order to escape persecution. In the village of Ozette (Tethe'alla), the discrimination and racism against half-elves is the strongest in the entire world of the game. Therefore, angels of Cruxius come to destroy the village, which may refer to the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorra, both destroyed by angels for all the sins committed inside the cities.

Theme songs

Each version of the game has its own opening theme. The opening theme for the original Japanese version of Tales of Symphonia on the GameCube is Starry Heavens, by the Japanese band day after tomorrow. Day After Tomorrow (also known as DAT) was a 3-member J-pop band under the Avex label For the Playstation 2 version of the game, Soshite Boku ni Dekiru Koto, also by day after tomorrow, takes its place. The opening theme for the North American (GameCube-only) version of the game is not written or performed by day after tomorrow; an orchestral arrangement is played. For each of the three versions of the opening theme, there is a "heroic" version that is played either during epic battles (Japanese versions only) or right before them (NA GCN version only).

Reception

Tales of Symphonia garnered both positive reviews from critics and a strong cult following from fans. X-Play (previously GameSpot TV and Extended Play) is a TV program about Video games known for its reviews and A cult following is a group of fans devoted to a specific area of Pop culture. It was praised for its endearing art style, battle system, storyline, and audio, and was considered a welcome entry in the "RPG-starved" GameCube library. ^[8][9]

Related Media

Links to Tales of Phantasia

Tales of Symphonia (GCN 2003) is a prequel to Tales of Phantasia (SFC 1995, and remade for PS1, GBA and PSP). The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. A prequel is a work that portrays events and/or aspects of a previously completed narrative but is set prior to the existing narrative The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) is a 16-bit Video game console that was The PlayStation (abbreviated PS, PSone, PS1, or informally as PSX) is a 32-bit fifth generation Video game console The Game Boy Advance (often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. The PlayStation Portable (officially abbreviated PSP) is a Handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The developers have stated that the games take place in the same universe in Japanese interviews.

Supporting those statements, the in-game evidence linking the two titles is strong:

Phantasia's Tree is called Yggdrasill. In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil ( Old Norse Yggdrasill, ˈyɡˌdrasilː the extra -l is a Nominative case marker is the World Since the Tales of series' character naming conventions and myth references are often meaningful and consistent, it is unlikely that Symphonia's antagonist was named after a mythological tree without a good reason. In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil ( Old Norse Yggdrasill, ˈyɡˌdrasilː the extra -l is a Nominative case marker is the World The most sensible reason is that the characters of Mithos Yggdrasill and Martel Yggdrasill were named that way so that Lloyd could name Symphonia's Tree after them. This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2 This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2

In Symphonia, Lloyd reunites Sylvarant and Tethe'alla into one world. The Great Seed sprouts a new Tree where the two worlds were linked. At the game's end, Lloyd is asked to choose a name for this new Tree. The scene cuts off before Lloyd says his choice, implying that the player should already know the answer. As the new tree was to be "everyone's tree" and symbolize unity, Lloyd had many reasons to name it after the Yggdrasill siblings. The fallen hero, Mithos, saved the world from a war 4,000 years ago. He split it in two to prevent either side from industrializing enough to create more magitech weapons and engage in more wars. Mithos also sought an end to discrimination, despite doing so through misguided means. His older sister, Martel, sacrificed her life to protect Mana and the Tree. Her soul fused with the Great Seed and remained fused for the past 4,000 years. Her soul was finally released when the Great Seed sprouted, and absorbed by the newborn guardian spirit for the sproutling. This newborn spirit (also named Martel) likely adopted Martel Yggdrasill's name, and is the same spirit who appears in Phantasia. As the Great Seed and Kharlan Tree have long histories with the Yggdrasills, Lloyd has every reason to name the tree in their honor.

The Yggdrasill tree and its Martel guardian spirit are also in Phantasia, where they play an important role in the plot. During a hunt, a weakened Martel appeals to Cress and tells him that the Tree is in danger. The plot reveals that Yggdrasill and Martel are dying due to mankind's abuse of mana for magitechnology, which is causing a mana shortage. Cress's party vows to heal the tree. Furthermore, Dhaos, the game's antagonist, has utmost interest in the tree: he needs its Seed to save his home planet from a similar plight of magitechnology wars and mana shortages.

This implied connection between the names, plot-roles and even world map positions of Yggdrasill and Martel between the two games indicates that one of the premises of Symphonia was to give a plot-based reason of why Phantasia's Tree and its guardian spirit were named that way: that they were named after the Yggdrasill siblings.

• The Eternal Sword was created by Origin and given to Mithos as a gift. is a Video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2. Lloyd eventually gains the right to wield it using the Eternal Ring and Origin's approval. However, to suit his two-sword style, Lloyd does not use the Eternal Sword directly--its power splits into the Material Blades, the Flamberge and Vorpal. A flame-bladed sword or wave-bladed sword has a characteristically undulating style of Blade. Vorpal sword is a phrase used by Lewis Carroll in his nonsense poem " Jabberwocky " Lloyd can briefly re-materialize the Eternal Sword as a single weapon during the Falcon's Crest attack animation. In Phantasia, however, the Eternal Sword does not exist in one piece. It remains split into the Material Blades, both of which (along with the Diamond Ring) are treasures of three ancient countries. As part of the plot, Cress travels to the ruins of these countries to retrieve the lost artifacts. The Diamond Ring is used to pact with Origin, who then re-forges the Eternal Sword using the Material Blades. As in Symphonia, this space-time controlling weapon is important to the story.
• Derris-Kharlan. This giant mana-comet invisibly hovers above the planet. It plays several roles in the plot, including nourishing the Great Seed, being the home of angels, and being the location of the final dungeon. In Phantasia, Derris-Kharlan is referenced several times. It is the planet of Elves' origin and Dhaos's home. Dhaos's backstory and Derris-Kharlan's history are explained in other games and novels about the Aselia universe, and Phantasia is light on details. is an RPG for the Game Boy Color released by Namco in 2000. Tales of Phantasia Narikiri Dungeon's characteristic genre name is. However, Dhaos's final form in Phantasia (post-SFC versions) is an angel-form that looks identical to Mithos. In terms of plot continuity, it's possible that some Exspheres remained on Derris-Kharlan for Dhaos to use despite Kratos's promise at the end of Symphonia to release them all into space.
• The existence and location of Elves. Elves are said to have originated on Derris-Kharlan and planted the first Mana Tree. In both games, Ymir Forest is surrounded by a lake. The lake's shallow water covers the forest floor and several maze-like wooden boardwalks are used to cross it. The small Elven colony is inside Ymir on the outskirts of the inner, denser Torent Forest. Torent Forest is a more-difficult maze, but the bushbabies hint at the correct paths. Galagos, also known as bushbabies, bush babies or nagapies (meaning "little night monkeys" in Afrikaans) are small Nocturnal Both games even use the same background music.
• Torent Forest. The Elves guard this forest. Entry requires their permission. It is sacred to them because the Summon Spirit of Creation, Origin, lives within the deepest part (marked by a black stele).
• World-map similarities. Combining the two maps of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla and rotating them bears an uncanny resemblance to the map of the world in Phantasia, Aselia. Many towns match in location between the two maps, indicating that the settlements may have evolved over the thousands of years between the games: Asgard lies near Midgards, Altamira (on an island) matches Alvanista (on an island), Palmacosta is near Venezia, Meltokio is near Arlee, and Flanoir is near Fenrir. Ymir Forest and the Elves are in the same location in both maps, and the Yggdrasill tree is in a similar location. Some spirits are also in the same places, e. g. Origin deep within Ymir and Shadow in a cave near Meltokio/Arlee.
• Phantasia's world has two moons, Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. In Symphonia, these are the names of the two split worlds. Each split world has a moon. When the worlds were split by Mithos, each world renamed their moon as the name of the opposite world (as an explanation of where all the other people disappeared to). A reunited world could therefore inherit both moons, which is consistent with Phantasia's astronomy. When Sylvarant and Tethe'alla are united in Tales of Symphonia, there is a brief moment showing two moons next to each other in the sky.
• All of Symphonia's summon spirits originally appeared in Phantasia. The exceptions are Celsius, who did not exist until Tales of Eternia, and Corrine/Verius. is a Japanese PlayStation action role-playing Video game released by Namco in 2000 and later ported to PlayStation Portable in 2005 While many of the summons have been borrowed by other games, Origin only appears in the Aselia-universe games.
• Many Tales of games provide the player with a means of flying on the world map. Phantasia's Rheabirds and Symphonia's Rheairds are almost identical in design and flying formation. Both games require the party to power-up these aircraft with Volt's electromagnetism. One should note that they have always been called Rheabirds (レアバード, Reabaado^?) in the Japanese versions of both Phantasia and Symphonia; Rheairds was a localization invention.
• Half-elf discrimination continues in Phantasia, despite the efforts of Lloyd's party to stop them more than 4000 years earlier in Symphonia.
• One of the largest dungeons in Phantasia is the dwarven mineshaft, Moria/"Morlia". Symphonia mentions that the locked door in the Toize Valley Mine is the entrance to Moria.
• Suzu Fujibayashi is likely a distant descendant of Sheena Fujibayashi. In Phantasia, Suzu becomes leader of the Japoni ninja clan. In Symphonia, Sheena becomes the leader of the Mizuho ninja clan. Sheena's Successor title costume is the same as Suzu's outfit.
• Phantasia's magitech Mana Cannon is very similar to Rodyle's Mana Cannon. This article lists the characters in Tales of Symphonia, a Video game released on the Nintendo GameCube and Playstation 2
• In Phantasia, the Sorcerer's Ring is found in an underground temple geographically close to the resting place of the Flamberge. In the end of Symphonia, Lloyd leaves the Flamberge by Anna's grave. The Temple of Martel, where one of the Sorcerer's Rings can be found, is also near Anna's grave.
• The name of the world in Phantasia (Aselia) is similar to the name of the Lloyd's hometown (Iselia). At the end of Symphonia, it is implied that Iselia would become an important political town. The re-combined world, Aselia, may have been named after it. However, the English name of Phantasia's world is Aseria. It could be named after the Norse Gods, Aesir. In Old Norse, áss (or ǫ́ss ás, plural æsir, feminine ásynja, feminine plural ásynjur) is the term denoting one of the principal
• Phantasia's ancient, legendary pirate Ifreed could be the pirate Aifread found in Luin, as both are written the same way (アイフリード, Aifurīdo^?) in Japanese.
• The gnomes in Phantasia's Cavern of Spirits resemble Symphonia's gnomelettes in the Temple of Earth. Both dungeons are home to the Summon Spirit Gnome.
• There are several musical cameos. The most obvious are the "Fighting of the Spirit" summon battle theme and the "Forest of the Treant" theme. Those who have visited the hidden ninja village in Phantasia should instantly recognize Mizuho's music. Flanoir's music has a subtle variation based on Phantasia's own snow-town, Fenrir (called Freezekeel/Freezekill in Japanese version).
• Fenrir is also the name of Celsius' companion during one of the battles to break the seal and attain her power at the Temple of Ice.
• In both games, the party spends a quiet night in the snowy town (Flanoir, Fenrir) to contemplate their relationships and the upcoming final battle.
• The world maps from Tales of Phantasia and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (the 2008 Wii spin-off sequel) are identical. Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World, known in Japan as, is a Console role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio and published ^[12]
• The inn in Flanoir in Symphonia is called Olive Village, which bears the same name as the desert town in Phantasia.

Of relatively smaller importance, all common items (i. e. weapons and battle items) have the exact same description in Symphonia as in Phantasia. One notable item is the Necronomicon. In Symphonia, this "forbidden book", said to contain spells for reviving the dead, was in the possession of Abyssion during the Devil's Arms sidequest. This very same book is Claus' originally equipped weapon in Phantasia, although after the team in Symphonia beats Abyssion, Genis Sage burns the Necronomicon, upsetting Raine.

Anime adaptation

Main article: Tales of Symphonia: The Animation

On June 20, 2006, Namco announced an official OVA (anime) for Tales of Symphonia, divided into several episodes. is a four-episode anime series ( OVA) based on the video game of the same name. abbreviated (and sometimes as OAV) is a term originating from Japanese animation ( Anime) for animated films and series which are made specially to be The four episodes of the OVA were released in Japan on June 8, August 10, October 24 and December 21, 2007. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. It was directed by Haruo Tonosaki and featured character designs by Akira Matsushima (Rurouni Kenshin OVAs). is a Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. ^[13] These four episodes cover only the first half of the game, ending with the party's first visit to Tethe'alla, and with certain characters (Presea, Regal, and Mithos among them) being introduced only in the last seconds of the final episode; a sequel completing the story has been hinted at (the OVA closes with the words "End here Sylvarant" and "Begin here Tethe'alla", and the seiyū have discussed it in the DVD release's audio commentary), but not officially announced. A is a Japanese vocal actor Seiyū work in Radio, Television, and movies; they perform voice-overs for non-Japanese movies they provide narration and they

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World

Main article: Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World

Namco Bandai is planning a follow-up to Tales of Symphonia entitled Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World for the Wii that will feature several new characters and a world map that uses the Wii Remote to point and click a destination. Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World, known in Japan as, is a Console role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio and published Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World, known in Japan as, is a Console role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio and published Dawn of the New World will use a variation of Tales of the Abyss' Flex Range Linear Motion Battle System called the Flex Range Element Enhanced Linear Motion Battle System. is a Console role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco. is a Console role-playing game developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco.

References

External links

• Official Tales of Symphonia website
• Tales of Symphonia at Nintendo.com (archives of the original at the Internet Archive)
• Tales of Symphonia at MobyGames
• Official Tales of Symphonia OVA website
• The Tales of Wiki - a Wikia of the The Tales of Series
• Official Japanese website (GameCube version)
• Official Japanese website (PlayStation 2 version)
• Tales Of Symphonia: Knight Of Ratatosk is announced

is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on The Internet Archive ( IA) is a Nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining an on-line Library and archive of Web and MobyGames is a Website devoted to cataloging computer and video games, both past and present Wikia (originally Wikicities) is a selective Free web hosting service for Wikis (or Wiki farm) operated by Wikia Inc

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