Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World is a sequel to one of the most popular Japanese RPGs from the GameCube and takes place several years after its events. The two joined worlds are dealing with the aftermath of unification, the weather behaves unpredictably, and tensions are rising in the land. The main character is not anyone from the original party but young Emil, who lost his parents in an attack and blames the hero of the first game for it. Together with a girl named Marta, he sets out on a journey during which the original party appears more like guests.

The combat system remains what the Tales series has always excelled at: it takes place in real time, the player directly controls one character, runs around the battlefield, chains attacks, and unleashes special techniques, while the rest of the party acts according to set tactics. The biggest new feature is the ability to recruit monsters to your side, raise them, and evolve them into stronger forms, which brings the game closer to a collector-style RPG and gives the player freedom in assembling their party. Side content is generous, from cooking dishes to scenes between characters that deepen their relationships.

However, the game received criticisms that are still repeated today. It reuses many locations and music from the previous entry, which gives it a shorter and less ambitious feel, and some fans disliked that the original heroes stepped into the background and some of them act unusually. Technically it's a solid, though not outstanding title, visually built on a colorful style with outlines reminiscent of animation. The controls do without motion elements; the game supports a classic gamepad. Reviews were mixed, but fans of the series took a liking to it thanks to the combat and lighter tone. Today it mainly makes sense for those who know the original and want to return to its world. Its length is medium for a Japanese RPG, and the combat keeps up the pace even after dozens of hours, which is the main reason series fans still hold it dear. On Wii, it also ranks among the few full-fledged Japanese RPGs that made it onto the console at all.