so, anybody that frequents the chatbox knows that I somewhat recently obtained a copy of Tales of the Abyss. I've been meaning to do this for a while, but here I'm going to chronicle my ongoing thoughts of the game. Obviously, I have a bit of a back log, so I'll do my best to remember.

• Goddamn, this game is anime as shit. The lack of J-pop over the intro movie is conspicuous.
  
• Everyone that I've talked to this far has talked about the weather. I'm going to get stabbed to death.
  
• Yes, Guy, wouldn't want to be seen alone with a boy. That combined with your extreme phobia of women might give people the wrong impression.
  
• Speaking of Guy; Johnny Young Bosch needs to shut is fat fucking mouth.
  
• I hate Mieu.
  
• What the fuck!? Tear is Van's sister? What kind of crazy shenanigans were going on in that family?
  
• Speaking of shenanigans; what is the deal with Anise? She's like 12! Why is she an officer in the military? And Tear to! What is she..16?
  
• What crazy language are theses people speaking that "Fon" is pronounced "Phone?"
  
• Those ligers are riding harpies! This is no good!
  
• Fonons, vibrations, frequencies...is this game just an allegory for the String Theory?
  
• Shit, she has guns. Why can't I have guns?
  
• I fucking hate Mieu, goddamn it.
  
• This game isn't very difficult, but maybe that's just the Action-RPG veteran in me talking.
  
• You know, the whole "cute" thing with Tear...completely unnecessary.
  
• I want to fucking murder Mieu.
  
• Please of please let Ashe be Luke from the future so Luke has to eventually literally fight himself.

Overall impression thus far; positive. I'm about 10 hours deep and at the Zao Ruins.

The battle system is a tad simplistic. I would have preferred something more akin to Star Ocean 3, but the story is more compelling than that title, at least. So far, I can't say that I'm particularly fond of the main cast, Jad notwithstanding (even though his character portrait in the menu is a tad unnerving). Natalia is alright too. Wouldn't say I like her so much as her character is appropriate.

I'll address your observations point by point. XD

SoldierG65434-2 wrote:

Goddamn, this game is anime as shit. The lack of J-pop over the intro movie is conspicuous

The opening movie actually WAS a J-pop song. XD They dubbed over the lyrics with the (far superior, in my opinion) electric guitar remix of the theme.

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Everyone that I've talked to this far has talked about the weather. I'm going to get stabbed to death.

You'd think they would already know the weather, what with the score and all. ah, the blissful lives of NPCs.

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Yes, Guy, wouldn't want to be seen alone with a boy. That combined with your extreme phobia of women might give people the wrong impression.

When you finally learn the reason Guy is terrified of women, you'll think the writers were assholes for playing his phobia for laughs the entire game.

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Speaking of Guy; Johnny Young Bosch needs to shut is fat fucking mouth.

word

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I hate Mieu.

word word

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What the fuck!? Tear is Van's sister? What kind of crazy shenanigans were going on in that family?

Quite a few actually. you'll find out later. XD

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Speaking of shenanigans; what is the deal with Anise? She's like 12! Why is she an officer in the military? And Tear to! What is she..16?

They work for a church that is a fantas allegory of the Catholic church. little girls are to the Lorelei what little boys are to the priests.

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What crazy language are theses people speaking that "Fon" is pronounced "Phone?"

Ispanian

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Those ligers are riding harpies! This is no good!

Monsters riding monsters? high tech sorcery!

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Fonons, vibrations, frequencies...is this game just an allegory for the String Theory?

Perhaps. I'm actually impressed with the amount of thought they put into their not-science. it's very elaborate.

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Shit, she has guns. Why can't I have guns?

Because there's only one member of your party cool enough for guns, and guns aren't cool enough for him.

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I fucking hate Mieu, goddamn it.

Word Word word. Bastard winds up causing the deaths of hundreds of his tribe, and his punishment is to be a hero in a JRPG? well... I guess the punishment fits the crime.

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This game isn't very difficult, but maybe that's just the Action-RPG veteran in me talking.

Could be. As a veteran myself I can't tell.

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You know, the whole "cute" thing with Tear...completely unnecessary.

"I don't have time for your g*ddamn quirks" - Spike (buffy the vampire slayer)

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I want to fucking murder Mieu.

At least you get to physically and emotionally abuse him as Luke for half the game. It's even played for laughs! huzzah.

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Please of please let Ashe be Luke from the future so Luke has to eventually literally fight himself.

If you hate Luke, then the resolution to that particular plot point will be so, SO much sweeter.

In her defense, She dubbed the S.S. arc when the translators were still romanizing her name as "Soi Fon." It's not so much her as it was the translation team.

Yeah I know. I just thought it was funny how much the voice actors are shared. JYB (Ichigo) as Guy, Stephanie Sheh (Orihime) as Natalia, Liam O'Brien (Ukitake) as Dist, Terrence Stone (cat Yoruichi, Mayuri) as Grand Maestro Mohs, Jamieson Price (Chad) as Largo, Kate Higgins (Unohana, Nanao) as Arietta, and Cindy Robinson (Kuukaku) as Legretta, to name a few. It's like they roll as a crew.

But on topic, I still think Tales of the Abyss is probably my favorite game ever! ^_^ It has the best soundtrack for any of the Tales games, IMO.

It does seem to be the case that voice actors seem to work in blocks. Kirk Thronton (Jade), Johhny Young Bosch (Guy), and Yuri Lowenthal (Luke) all worked on Persona 4 for as Mooroka, Addachi, and Yosuke receptively.

Jamieson Price (Largo), Bosch, and Thorton also all worked on Ace Combat 5 as the Mission briefing voice, Grimm, and Thunderhead respectively.

Thunderhead is probably my favorite thing Thorton has done, slightly surprising Mooroka. But only slightly.

Anyway, my journey into the Abyss continues;

• I resent the fact that I have to spend so much money on just 5 more points to attack/defense.
  
• "Earn 50% more gald"! Shit, how long as that accessory been in my inventory?
  
• Battles are a lot less annoying now that Tear isn't there singing all the goddamn time.
  
• Luke is exceptionally well written. I really have to commend the writers, and the localization team in particular.
  
• Congratulations Van, your dastardly plan to make the hole in the ground that is Akzeriuth an even bigger hole went smashingly.
  
• I feel like everyone is being a little hard on Luke. Yeah, he was rash and overly trusting, but he was only doing what he though was right (albeit for selfish reasons).
  
• Okay, the revelation about Asch and Luke isn't nearly as good as Asch being evil future-Luke, but I'm still feeling it, even with the heavy handed foreshadowing.
  
• I'm digging the architectural style of the Qliphoth. It reminds me Vallen's Fortress in Threads of Fate, for some reason.

Did you ever finish Tales of the Abyss, or are you still working on it?

Not only are they porting TotA for the 3DS, they are actually going to release it in the US.

Revealed in Nintendo Power.

I don't know if they are making any changes to it, but I don't care. I'm going to buy it and play it happily.